Two-Hour Traffic Wait As NSW-Victoria Border Closed Over COVID-19 Outbreak
Heavy traffic was experienced at Wodonga, Victoria, due to the closure of the New South Wales-Victoria border on July 8.
On July 6, New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the border would be closed on July 8 after a conversation with the Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, in order to contain a COVID-19 outbreak in Victoria.
“Normally a 12 minute journey, this morning it was just over 2 hours,” Twitter user nescanner posted with a timelapse video showing the long line of cars trying to enter New South Wales.
Despite the closure, some residents are able to apply for an exemption after meeting a specific criteria. One man was arrested by New South Wales Police for trying to cross the border at Corowa without a permit on July 8.
Australian Defence Force personnel would be used to ringfence the Melbourne metropolitan area, which was placed under lockdown on July 8.
Victoria recorded 134 new cases of COVID19 on July 8, bringing the total number of cases to 2,824, according to state health authorities. Credit: North East Scanner via Storyful
