A new permit system for travel between Greater Sydney and regional NSW will take effect from midnight, NSW Health has confirmed.
Under the updated public health order, NSW Health said the following people traveling from Greater Sydney to regional NSW would now require a permit:
- anyone from Greater Sydney (including authorised workers from the LGAs of concern) who needs to travel more than 50km from Greater Sydney for work purposes, noting the existing requirement for such workers to have had a COVID test in the previous seven days;
- people travelling to a second home outside Greater Sydney. This is now only allowed if you are using the home for work accommodation or if the home requires urgent maintenance and repairs (if so, only one person may travel there)
- people inspecting a potential new residence, but only if they have a genuine intention to relocate as soon as practicable (no investment properties);
- people who are permanently relocating.
“For the purposes of this public health order and permit, Greater Sydney will no longer include Shellharbour and the Central Coast. People travelling to Shellharbour and the Central Coast for the above reasons will require a permit to do so,” NSW Health said.
Taking a holiday to a second residence is not a reasonable excuse to leave home, the health authority said.
Permit applications will be made available on the Service NSW website.
People are permitted to leave their homes to facilitate custody arrangements for access to, and contact between, parents and children under the age of 18 who do not live in the same household.
Special rules remain in place for the local government areas of concern in Greater Sydney. For further information on COVID-19 rules, please see the COVID-19 rules.
