SA police say the border checkpoint with Victoria is now quiet

Drivers have poured over the South Australian border overnight, as authorities re-introduced internal restrictions with Victoria, Queensland, and New South Wales.

The 70-kilometre border bubble with regional Victoria remains in place.

Returning South Australians who have visited Greater Melbourne, Geelong and Bacchus Marsh will have to quarantine for two weeks and get a COVID-19 test on days one, five, and 13 as a precaution.

Anyone coming from other parts of Victoria will need to get tested every few days too, but will be able to leave isolation upon their first negative test result.

Yesterday SAPOL asked for patience from drivers, after they faced a 3-kilometre queue at the border checkpoint in Bordertown last night.

Superintendent Campbell Hill from the Limestone Coast Police said the backup was expected. Local police are praising the good behaviour of the drivers.

“So, there was a window where people took the opportunity to return early from holidays, or certainly return to South Australia, and make their way across,” Superintendent Hill said.

Returning South Australians, those genuinely relocating to the state, or those escaping domestic and family violence can still enter the state from restricted areas in Victoria, but are also required to self-quarantine.

“We have continued to appreciate the agility of the community … especially within the Limestone Coast,” Superintendent Hill said.

Three Tailem Bend businesses were declared hotspots after three Sydney removalists visited the state while infected with COVID-19.

No positive cases have been identified in the community.

Density limits on businesses have been lowered to 50 per cent capacity. Masks are also required at high-risk settings such as prisons and aged care facilities, and personal care businesses such as hairdressers and nail salons.

SAPOL are actively monitoring check-ins into businesses on the Limestone Coast, and Superintendent Hill reiterated the importance of QR codes.

“We have been really, really lucky throughout the course of this pandemic, with the impacts by comparison to other areas and certainly other countries,” Superintendent Hill said.

“We know from the New South Wales removalist experience at the moment that QR testing is critical to identify those that may or may have come into contact.

“The Commissioner was quite clear in saying if the QR compliance doesn’t continue … there’s going to need to be some sort of review of how movement is going to be restricted.”