FROM Friday, October 15, when the ACT is out of lockdown, Canberra will expand the standing exemption border postcodes to allow travel to immediately surrounding NSW areas. 

Braidwood, Goulburn, Cooma, and up towards the Snowy region as well as Gundagai will be permitted to travel to and from the ACT to undertake work or study, to access schools or essential shopping and healthcare without needing to apply for an exemption, announced ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr.

This is an extension for areas that were already allowed to do so, such as Queanbeyan and Yass.

“Residents in these postcodes can also enter the ACT to visit family and friends under the existing ACT gathering limits, either inside a household or outside,” he said.

“Under both the NSW and ACT government restrictions, ACT residents still cannot enter NSW unless they are undertaking essential work, accessing a childcare arrangement or providing vulnerable care to an individual.

“NSW also have a vaccination requirement that excludes unvaccinated or partially vaccinated people from travel and access to non-essential activities.”

Mr Barr said work is continuing with NSW government on common travel arrangements as vaccination rates of both jurisdictions climb above 80 per cent vaccinated.

“This more significant changes are anticipated to come into effect from late October,” he said.

“The ACT will expand the standing exemption border postcodes to allow travel from a larger area of immediate surrounding NSW.”

Restrictions that will ease at midnight on Thursday include:

• Five people will be able to visit another household at any one time and 25 people will be able to gather outdoors.
• Licensed venues, cafes and restaurants will be able to operate seated service at a maximum capacity of 25 people across a venue or one person per four square metres indoors, if that amount is less than 25 people. Alternatively, venues can choose to operate outdoors with a maximum of 50 patrons at one per four square metres.
• Hairdressers, beauty and personal services can recommence with a maximum of five customers at any one time.
• All non-essential retail will continue to operate under click and collect or click and deliver services but the maximum staffing capacity from inside the premise will go from five to 10 people.
• Gyms will reopen with strict covid safe requirements with a maximum of 25 people.
• The 25 person cap at one per four square metres will also apply to weddings, outdoor play centres, places of worship, outdoor auctions and community centres and facilities.
• Accommodation providers such as hotels and motels, campgrounds and caravans parks can reopen as can swimming pools for organised lessons with a maximum of 25 swimmers. 

Barr outlines a detailed plan out of lockdown