A group of tourists from Queensland have been officially cautioned for failing to quarantine while visiting Tasmania.
Four Queenslanders each received caution notices after they tried to enter Cradle Mountain National Park despite public health orders requiring them to quarantine.
Tasmanian police said all members of the group were compliant and are now adhering to the ‘stay at home’ orders as directed.
Police confirmed the tourists had not visited a high-risk premises and the risk to the others in the wider community was low.
As of 31 July, anyone who has arrived from one of the 11 local government areas in Queensland that are currently in lockdown on, or after 17 July (but prior to 4pm on 31 July) are required to stay at home with very limited exceptions.
A 19-year-old Southern Tasmanian woman also received a caution for failing to comply with the stay at home order for visiting the Hobart waterfront after recently having returned from Queensland.
Police said they spoke to the woman and gave her “suitable advice” relating to the stay-at-home direction.
Inspector John Toohey of the State Police Operations Centre said that it was disappointing that police had to caution people to ensure compliance with directions.
“However, we will continue to address issues of non-compliance to keep Tasmanians safe. For the most part, people are continuing to do the right thing,” Toohey said.
Two other Tasmanians who had also recently returned from Queensland weren’t so lucky and were both fined $778.50 for failing to follow the direction.
Police said a 39-year-old woman from Northern Tasmania who recently returned from Queensland breached the order by attending a family gathering on Saturday and received the fine after she was reported to the police
In a separate matter, a 52-year-old Launceston woman who had also recently returned from Queensland was fined after police received information that she had attended a shopping complex without wearing a mask.
Neither woman had been in a high-risk premises while in Queensland.
Featured image source: iStock/shells1
