Australia: Border Travel update 15 December 2021

I’ve updated this advice, and it is current as of Wednesday 15 December 2021. However, check the links below to confirm the correct information for your time of travel.

Essentially, you need to complete some kind of entry request, be vaccinated, have a negative result from a test pre-arrival, and test on arrival. Isolation depends on what state you are entering, and where you are coming from. If you are unvaccinated, then give up now, and go and seek counselling. That does not involve searching the internet and social media for conspiracy theorists and anti-vaxxers!

Australia’s International Borders

Reopened for most travellers, but you need to check state quarantine restrictions. For complete vaccination details, head over here to the Health Departments website. In summary, you need to be fully vaccinated more than a week before departure and have a negative PCR test within 3 days of your flight.

If you don’t meet those criteria, then you need to seek an exemption.

ACT

You can find full details for international travellers here. Arrivals from the 9 southern African countries must serve 14 days in hotel quarantine whether vaccinated or not at their port of entry. All other overseas arrivals must isolate for 72 hours. You must also have a COVID-19 test within 24 hours of arrival in Australia, and also on day 6.

You can leave self-isolation after day 3 if you get a negative result.

NSW

Restriction on arrivals from the 9 southern African countries have now been removed, so procedures are the same as for all other overseas arrivals: isolate for 72 hours, with a test within 24 hours of arrival. Full details can be found here.

Northern Territory

International arrivals on government-chartered flights quarantine at Howard Springs for 14 days, others home quarantine for 7 days. From 20 December 2021, all arrivals into the Northern Territory, from all ports, will need to have a COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test upon arrival. Fully-vaccinated arrivals will not be required to quarantine. A testing regime will remain in place for arrivals from red zones. Full details are available here.

Queensland

As of 13 December, you will need a negative test within 72 hours of departure and serve out home isolation or Hotel quarantine for 14 days. The rules are nuanced, so make sure you fill out a registration form and check the guidelines and instructions for international arrivals. Restrictions for interstate travellers have been largely lifted as of 13 December, but make sure you check the requirements before travel.

South Australia

For full details, head over here, but in summary, International arrivals will serve 14 days quarantine. You will also need to have been tested with a negative result within 72 hours of departure, and subject yourself to testing within the first 24 hours of arrival, and on two other occasions during your 14 day quarantine period. Domestic travellers entering the state also need to have a negative test and result within 72 hours of departure, test on arrival (isolation until test, but not for results). If staying, you will also need an additional test on day 5.

Tasmania

Tasmania is now open! Conditions vary according to your vaccination status and where you are travelling from. Essentially, Tasmania is open again from Wednesday 15 December. You can find full details here.

Victoria

Restrictions on arrivals from the 8 southern African countries have now been removed. You can find full details here. If you are fully vaccinated, and arriving from elsewhere, then it’s self-quarantining for 72 hours, testing within 24 hours, and another test between days 5 and 7.

Western Australia

Still not receiving international or domestic travellers until 5 February. You can find full details here for arrangements before then, and after.

2PAXfly Takeout

This is another timely reminder to wear your seatbelt when seated. Holding you close to your seat will protect you from the sort of injuries sustained on this flight, when unsecured passengers flew to the ceiling of the aircraft, and then came crashing down once the ‘drop’ ceased.

The hope will be that this is an anomaly – a ‘freak accident’ in casual parlance. If it is a systemic error either mechanical or electronic, then this is a larger concern for the airlines that fly Boeing Dreamliner 787 aircraft. Let’s hope it isn’t. If it is, it will pile on the woes to Boeing’s existing stack.

Requirements have changed for both interstate and international entry, so check the advice for the state you are entering at least 7 days before you travel – because you might have to apply for permits etc that far out. If you are vaccinated, then if you meet conditions, you should be OK.

If you are unvaccinated, then what are you thinking!

Keep checking, because conditions are changing regularly about all of this.

Flying is so not fun at the moment.