Victoria coronavirus lockdown: states' border closures, rules for Bendigo residents

Others are urging Victorians to do the right thing and to stay away if possible.

Victoria's seven-day circuit-breaker lockdown will start from 11.59pm Thursday.

Here's how state or territory governments across the country have responded.

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Western Australia has never been shy to enforce a hard border during the COVID-19 pandemic - and this is no different.

The state will reintroduce a hard border with Victoria on Thursday.

From 10am Perth time, Victoria will be designated a "medium-risk" jurisdiction under WA's controlled border regime.

Travel will be blocked for anyone who has been in Victoria since May 16 unless they secure an exemption.

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The exemption criteria include senior government officials, active military personnel, federal MPs, transport, freight and logistics workers and individuals approved on compassionate grounds.

People who have travelled to Victoria and need to return to WA will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days upon returning home.

Those who have already returned after being in Victoria since May 16 are required to get tested within 48 hours and self-quarantine until they return a negative result. Full story here.

Tasmania will close its borders to Victoria from 2pm on Thursday.

The entire state of Victoria is now classified as high risk to the island state.

Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said after 2pm, people who had spent time in Victoria in the past 14 days could not travel to his state unless they were approved essential travellers.

Related: What the new coronavirus restrictions mean for me?

Tasmanian residents in Victoria can apply for essential traveller status if they want to return home.

However, they must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival at a "suitable premises" or in a government-run hotel at their own expense.

Anyone who has been in other areas of Victoria since May 6 must monitor for COVID-19 symptoms. Full story here.

Too bad for anyone planning an escape from the start of winter in Victoria.

The Queensland government has slammed its border shut to Victoria.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says anyone who has been in Victoria since May 11 will be ordered into hotel quarantine on arrival from 1am on Friday.

Police will meet flights at the state's airports to check if people arriving have been in Victoria.

Any Victorians already in Queensland will be subject to the same lockdown provisions that are in place at home for the next seven days. Full story here.

The NSW government isn't closing its borders - but that doesn't mean it wants Victorians to visit.

Victorians who enter NSW after 4pm on Thursday are required to abide by their home state's lockdown rules.

The NSW government is imploring its own residents to avoid travelling to Victoria.

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NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian said NSW had no intention of closing the border to Victorians at this stage, despite every other state doing so.

But she urged Victorians not to take advantage of NSW's goodwill by rushing to cross the border before the 4pm deadline.

"There are 55 crossings of the border and we just ask everybody to do the right thing," she told Nine's Today Show on Thursday.

"We've relied on the goodwill of our citizens during the entire pandemic. Let's not give up now."

Ms Berejiklian said once the Victorian lockdown - and its travel limitations - came into effect at midnight, the pressure on NSW would ease.

Anyone who does enter NSW from Victoria after 4pm must remain at home for seven days, and is only permitted to leave for limited reasons.

However, NSW residents in border communities will only be required to abide by the rules if they go outside the border region from 4pm. Full story here.

A new stay-at-home requirement has been issued for anyone who leaves Victoria from midnight and enters the ACT.

Non-ACT residents leaving Victoria after midnight on Thursday will be banned from travelling to the territory unless they are granted an exemption.

ACT residents leaving Victoria after 11.59pm on Thursday to enter the territory will be required to complete an online declaration form 24 hours prior to arriving, or by midnight on Friday.

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All travellers are required to go directly to the residence where they will spend the stay-at-home period and should only leave for an essential purpose.

Those entering the territory from Victoria who are aged over 12 must wear a mask when leaving the house, unless undertaking vigorous exercise outdoors, ACT Health has advised.

Any non-ACT residents who have attended a close contact exposure site will not be allowed into the territory without an approved exemption.

The Northern Territory chief health officer has declared Greater Bendigo and Greater Melbourne local government areas hotspots for the purposes for travel to the top end from 12.01am Thursday.

Anyone who has been in one of the hotspots since May 12 and arrived in the territory before midnight must be tested for COVID-19 and quarantine until they receive their results.

South Australia slammed shut its border for any travellers from Greater Melbourne on Wednesday evening.

The South Australian government enforced travel restrictions on people from the Greater Melbourne and Greater Bendigo regions from 6pm Wednesday.

Premier Steven Marshall said no one from Melbourne was permitted to travel to South Australia, while central Victorian residents would need to isolate for 14 days.

He said essential travellers with permits were exempt. Returning South Australians were also expect but would need to self-quarantine for 14 days.

"People coming in from Bendigo will be permitted into South Australia but they will need to undertake tests on day one, five and 13 and isolate pending a negative result from their first test," Mr Marshall said on Wednesday.

"There are essential travellers coming to Australia with permission and they will need to be in quarantine, except for the time they are undertaking activity for which they have received that exemption." Full story here.

- with AAP

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