Just guidelines

Full moon over Terrigal this morning (courtesy Julie)

Julie and I were anxiously awaiting the Federal government's scheduled announcement today about the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions in Australia.  Most particularly, we wanted some information on when restrictions on domestic travel might be lifted.

In the event, the government's announcements were really just aspirational.  Although they detailed a three stage process of relaxed restrictions and said they would like to see things back to normal by July, apart from international travel, it soon became clear that it would be the individual State governments who decided what restrictions would be eased and when.  Even then, it seems there will be different flavours of easing depending on the State.

Early morning view towards Crackneck (courtesy Julie)

Critically, it will be the States who decide when to open themselves up to travel from other States.  Although the States whose borders are closed - Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania - have a significant economic dependence on tourism, it was in the news today that the public in some of those States would happily trade-off closed borders for more internal freedoms.  Although I may not like it, this is an understandable preference, just as I am happy for Australia's international borders to stay closed if it means eased restrictions domestically.

Our cycling trip plans would see us heading north to Queensland, which we would reach in a week, and then we would be in Queensland for at least a month, so it is the Queensland border that is most important for us.  Sadly, the Queensland premier announced in the last few hours that it will likely be 10 July before unlimited intrastate travel is permitted and later than that before tourism from other States is allowed.  Bummer!

No walking or running today, and no golf either.