Thirty-eight areas of New South Wales have been excluded from the lifting of lockdown in the rest of the state’s regional areas.
The statewide lockdown will lift at 12.01am on Saturday, September 11, the NSW government announced on Thursday.
The local council areas set to remain in lockdown indefinitely due to the risk of COVID-19 are as follows:
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- Bathurst
- Bega
- Blayney
- Bogan
- Bourke
- Brewarrina
- Broken Hill
- Cabonne
- Central Coast
- Central Darling
- Cessnock
- Dubbo
- Dungog
- Eurobodalla
- Forbes
- Gilgandra
- Goulburn Mulwaree
- Kiama
- Lake Macquarie
- Lithgow
- Maitland
- Mid-Coast
- Mid-Western
- Muswellbrook
- Narrabri
- Narromine
- Newcastle
- Orange
- Parkes
- Port Stephens
- Queanbeyan-Palerang
- Shellharbour
- Shoalhaven
- Singleton
- Snowy Monaro
- Upper Hunter
- Walgett
- Wingecarribee
“Vast amounts of the regions will open - Mid North Coast, to the North Coast, to the North West, Albury, to the Riverina and Murrumbidgee areas,” said Deputy Premier John Barilaro.
He said the basis for keeping the other locations locked down was simply “active cases”.
“We know with COVID, the way it’s transmissible, you’ve got to have a level of protection for regional and rural NSW,” Barilaro said.
Restrictions remain
“For those areas coming out of lockdown, you are not coming into a pre-lockdown environment.
“There will be capacity limits for our hotels, cafes and restaurants - including the four-square-metre rule - mask wearing, social distancing.”
Mask will remain mandatory in indoor venues.
Schools can also reopen, while 50 people can attend weddings a funerals.
Up to 20 people will be allowed to attend private outdoor gatherings, with five people at home gatherings.
Retail stores and services such as hairdressers can reopen at one-person-per-four-square-metre capacity.
Events at venues such as stadiums, racecourses and zoos will be subject to the same rule, with a limit for 5,000 people.
"‘You are not coming into a pre-lockdown environment.’"
However Barilaro revealed areas could be plunged back into lockdown if a single COVID-19 case is detected.
“For all those communities coming out of lockdown, it is a nice feeling, but if there is an active case in your community, you will go back into lockdown for a minimum of 14 days,” he said.
“That is the commitment that we’ve made to (NSW) Health.
“One case is one case too many in the regions.”