Here’s what you can and can’t do at the moment, state-by-state, events edition.
Last updated: 3 August 2021
New South Wales
Announced on Wednesday 28 July, current stay-at-home orders affecting Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour will be extended for four weeks, until 12:01am on Saturday, August 28.
Entertainment facilities, such as theatres, cinemas, music halls, concert halls and dance halls are closed. If you are in Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour, you must not participate in an outdoor public gathering of more than two people.
For regional and rural areas of New South Wales, facilities including theatres, cinemas, music and concert halls, stadiums, showgrounds, racecourses and motor racing tracks can have the maximum number of people be the greater of either 50% of the seating capacity, or one person per four square metres.
If you are relying on a percentage of the seating capacity for these events, you must ensure that each person has a ticket and is allocated a specific seat. Face masks must be worn at these venues and when attending outdoor seated events.
Currently anyone who has been to Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour will not be allowed to enter the following states unless they are an essential traveller or have an exemption: Queensland, South Australia, Australia Capital Territory, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
For more information on the restrictions in New South Wales, click here.
Victoria
New updated restrictions include indoor seated venues such as cinemas can have up to 100 people per space. Non-seated indoor venues have a density requirement of one person per four square metres and up to 100 people per space. All entertainment and community facilities are required to have a COVID Check-in Marshal monitoring patrons checking-in using the Service Victoria app. For a comprehensive guideline of event restrictions, including Victoria’s tiered system, click here.
New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory and Queensland are banned from entering Victoria unless granted an exemption. Travellers from all other states in Australia must apply for a permit to enter Victoria.
For more information on the restrictions in Victoria, click here.
Queensland
South East Queensland is in lockdown as of 4pm Saturday 31 July to 4pm Sunday 8 August. The following businesses and activities in the locked down areas must close during the lockdown period. Entertainment facilities such as theatres, cinemas, music halls and concert halls, major sports stadiums, convention centres and showgrounds. Along with theme parks, outdoor amusement parks, tourism experiences and indoor and outdoor events such as marathons, cultural festivals, fetes and expos.
Restrictions for the rest of Queensland not in lockdown include:
All indoor settings should be one person per two square metres, or 100 per cent capacity with ticketed and allocated seating. Stadiums with a capacity of 20,000 people or more will be required to reduce capacity to 75 per cent. Spectators attending stadium events will need to wear a mask at all times, except for when eating or drinking.
The Queensland border is closed to anyone who has been in a COVID-19 hotspot in the last 14 days or since the start date identified for the hotspot (whichever is shorter), except for a limited range of people who can enter for essential purposes. All of New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria are declared hotspots. People entering Queensland from South Australia or Victoria can complete their 14 days quarantine at home if they meet certain criteria.
For more information on the restrictions in Queensland, click here.
Western Australia
There are no longer any capacity restrictions for venues and events. This means that events, such as concerts and sporting games can go ahead at full capacity.
Measures still remain in place to keep these events safe including requiring a COVID safety plan and maintaining a contact register. Events with more than 500 patrons are required to complete a COVID event checklist or plan.
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria are classified as medium risk and travellers are not permitted to enter Western Australia without an approval through G2G PASS.
For more information on the restrictions in Western Australia, click here.
Northern Territory
Events less than 500 in attendance located inside a major population centre do not require completion of a checklist or safety plan, however the physical distancing and hygiene principles should still be considered and implemented.
Events with 500 to 1000 people in attendance inside a major population centre do require completion of a checklist or safety plan. Further to this the organiser of the event must appoint a COVID-19 Safety Supervisor and display a QR code or alternate method of checking in.
Events with 1000 or more people in attendance located inside a major population centre must submit a COVID-19 event safety plan and receive formal approval from the Chief Health Officer prior to the event proceeding. Further to this the organiser of the event must appoint a COVID-19 Safety Supervisor and display a QR code or alternate method of checking in.
If your event is outside a major population centre, you may still be required to comply with other legislative requirements and processes that are relevant to holding events. To find out more and if you are located inside a major population centre, click here.
New South Wales and South East Queensland are declared hotspots for the purpose of travel to the Northern Territory. Anyone arriving into the Northern Territory from or through a declared hotspot must do 14 days mandatory supervised quarantine. Other interstate travellers must complete a border entry form.
For more information on the restrictions in Northern Territory, click here.
South Australia
For public entertainment venues, including fixed seating at a concert, live theatre, cinema, galleries, museums, public institutions, publicly accessible historic sites, zoos and any other live performance space or place of entertainment the following restrictions are in place:
- COVID safe plan is required if more than 1000 people are attending for an outdoor event only.
- If there are more than 1000 people, then they can only be outside
- One person per four square metres
- Must take reasonable steps to maintain 1.5m physical distancing
- Approved contact tracing required
- No singing unless the person is performing (no karaoke)
- Dancing is not permitted
- Must wear masks in shared indoor places
- If food/beverages are being served, then seated consumption only. Not permitted to sit at a bar or service area and no communal food or beverage areas.
- COVID Marshal required
Travellers arriving from the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, the Greater Brisbane area in Queensland and New South Wales (excluding the LGA of Broken Hill) are currently prohibited from entering South Australia, except for essential travellers and some permitted arrivals.
For more information on the restrictions in South Australia, click here.
Tasmania
The maximum number of people permitted to attend events or gatherings without having to apply for approval under the Framework for COVID-19 Safe Events and Activities is 250 people in an undivided space indoors and 1,000 people in an undivided space outdoors.
The maximum density rule of two square metres per person applies. If the number of people permitted according to the density limit is less than the gathering limit, the lower number applies.
Operators of entertainment venues can apply to increase patron numbers above 250 people (indoors) or 1,000 people (outdoors) through the Framework for COVID-19 Safe Events and Activities. Operators of stadiums and arenas can apply to increase attendance numbers to the number of seats provided.
- For indoor events without seating, the restriction is no more than one person per two square metres of space, and no more than 1,000 people.
- For indoor seated events, the restriction is one person per two square metres in all unseated areas, but no more than 2,000 people.
- For outdoor events without seating, the restriction is no more than one person per two square metres of available space, but no more than 5,000 people.
- For outdoor seated events, the restriction is one person per two square metres in all unseated areas, but no more than 10,000 people.
Travellers who have spent time in a high-risk area within Australia, which currently includes New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria in the 14 days before arriving in Tasmania are not permitted to enter Tasmania, unless approved as an essential traveller.
For more information on the restrictions in Tasmania, click here.
Australian Capital Territory
There are no limits to the size of outdoor gatherings. If people wish to hold gatherings of greater than 1,000 people, they must seek an exemption in accordance with the COVID Safe Event Protocol. Organisers for events for between 501 and 1,000 people are required to notify ACT Health and submit their COVID safe plan.
For more information on specific venue restrictions, including cinemas, theatres, live performance venues, cultural venues, conference and convention venues and outdoor attractions such as the zoo, and drive-in cinemas, click here.
Travellers entering the ACT from Victoria or from the Greater Sydney, Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Shellharbour regions of New South Wales and South East Queensland will not be allowed to enter unless they have an exemption. If you have spent any time in Victoria or South Australia in the last 14 days and are seeking to enter the ACT, you will need to complete an online declaration form within 24 hours prior to arrival, regardless of whether or not you are already in the ACT.
For more information on the restrictions in the Australian Capital Territory, click here.
Overseas Travel
Regarding overseas travel, unfortunately quarantine-free travel to New Zealand from all Australian states and territories has been suspended. The suspension will continue for at least eight weeks and will be reviewed in September. There is also currently a ban on all overseas travel from Australia, unless granted an exemption.
Photo: Martin Sanchez
