Here’s what you can and can’t do across the country tonight:
“Your New Year’s plans will have to change,” Health Director Dr. Kerry Chant said today at a news conference.
Indoor meetings are now limited to five people and outdoor meetings are limited to 30.
These rules apply to residents of Greater Sydney, Wollongong, the Central Coast and the Blue Mountains from December 31 until further notice.
Bars, pubs, and other venues can host events, but they must stick to the one person per four square meter rule.
The North Beaches remain divided into two zones, north and south, without allowing the two to cross.
Starting at 5:00 p.m. today, the number of people authorized to meet in private homes will be reduced from 30 to 15, and masks will once again be mandatory indoors.
“If you are planning to come to the city, only people with a reservation at a hospitality venue are asked to enter the city,” he said.
The last minute restrictions on the last day of the year apply to all of Victoria, not just the Melbourne metropolitan area.
Up to 100 people can meet outdoors in public from any number of homes.
The government has encouraged residents to wear a mask when the 1.5 meter rule cannot be maintained.
In Queensland it can accommodate 50 people inside their homes and can meet in groups of 100 in a public place.
The major fireworks displays in Brisbane and the Gold Coast have been canceled, but there will still be plenty of celebrations across the state.
There will still be some smaller fireworks shows in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, but they are expected to fill up very quickly.
“It is not advisable to hit a stranger in the pub at midnight,” the Queensland government said in a statement.
Border restrictions remain in place for hotspots in New South Wales, with an additional border checkpoint to be established in an attempt to facilitate border traffic.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr announced the lifting of restrictions in the capital last week.
However, the travel ban for those in Greater Sydney, Wollongong and the Central Coast was extended until January 6.
For the second year in a row, there will be no fireworks display at ACT.
Pubs and bars can accommodate customers according to the two square meter rule.
This means that anyone planning to spend time in the state after NYE will have to reconsider their plans, unless they reside in SA, are planning to permanently relocate to the state, or are an essential worker.
Residents in SA can still host parties with a limit of 50 people in private homes, regardless of whether the party is taking place indoors or outdoors.
There are multiple fireworks displays throughout the city and the Perth Zoo will stay open late for families.
Large gatherings should only follow the two-square-meter rule.
The Northern Territory Government requires meetings of 100 to 500 people to provide a COVID-19 safety checklist.
500-person events need approval from the state health director.
The Derwent River fireworks will continue.
Hobart City Council is encouraging people to view fireworks from different points of view.
Tasmania has a rule of two square meters, but with a limit of 250 people for an indoor space.
Outdoors, 1,000 people are allowed to gather.
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