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Original poster

Is it mad to consider going to Australia for Easter?

31 replies

Madness5 · 06/02/2022 22:34

We have Australian passports but I’m worried about how quickly things change in Australia - a family member got stuck interstate in Australia after getting covid and it was a huge inconvenience and at great cost. I really want to visit family but I think I would just be on edge the whole time. Anyone did it recently?

OP posts:
coodawoodashooda · 06/02/2022 22:42

Depends on how much money and time you have.

Notcontent · 06/02/2022 23:35

I am planning to go in the summer as I just can’t wait any longer. I think it will be ok.

BritInAus · 07/02/2022 00:20

Which part of Australia? And would you be staying within one State/Territory once here?

I definitely wouldn't see it as more dangerous being in Aus than the UK (numbers are MUCH lower in Aus in terms of active cases, hospitalisations etc).

I would just ensure that I had flexible flights (booked through a travel agent), excellent insurance and a contingency plan. I'm doing the reverse trip this Xmas, will be bringing my work laptop so that if I get 'stuck' in England longer than planned, I can work from 'home' at my mum's house.

DownUdderer · 07/02/2022 01:49

I reckon you'll be ok. I'm in NSW.

beingsunny · 07/02/2022 01:51

NSW here, I highly doubt there will be any form of lockdowns or border closures now, unless you are heading to WA I think it will be fine.

There is even suggestion that tourism borders will reopen in March.

BootsScootsAndToots · 07/02/2022 01:57

I'm in Melbourne, and I don't think we'll have another lockdown ever. But it does depend on which state/territory you are planning to visit.

DropYourSword · 07/02/2022 02:49

I'm in QLD. I reckon you'll be pretty safe now, I really don't envision them doing any more border closures or lockdowns. We opened up and let it run rampant just before Christmas.

LimeSegment · 07/02/2022 02:53

Agree with sunny, the feeling here is that no matter how many covid cases there are, there won't be any more lockdowns or further travel restrictions in or out of the middle and eastern states. Case numbers are going down anyway at the moment. If your family is in WA I'd make other plans.

Shamoo · 07/02/2022 02:54

Here at the moment, it’s fine - they aren’t going to go backwards from here. NSW, Queensland or Victoria and I wouldn’t have a concern.

Weatherwax13 · 07/02/2022 02:58

From everything the govt is saying here I reckon you'll be ok.
The only Aussie I've know to have problems in the last month tested positive in Dubai so had to quarantine in a hotel before she could fly back into Melb. If not, she'd have been straight home.. My advice would be stump up the cash for really excellent insurance. She was definitely glad she did.

YellowMonday · 07/02/2022 03:03

Hi, Australians here. You should be fine - but I highly recommend to research the actual requirements here:

www.australia.gov.au/states

Just be aware if you test positive on arrival PCR test, you'll need to follow isolation rules.

Federal Government is due to announce soon an expected full reopening of the border. This may change the arrival requirements (to be easier).

FurryAntiWaxer · 07/02/2022 03:20

I doubt any government could politically withstand another lockdown in Oz. Just make sure you keep up with vaccinations as there is a very real possibility they will change the definition of fully vaxxed to include a booster ( this seems to be getting progressively rolled out).

Flatandhappy · 07/02/2022 04:08

I just read that we are opening to fully vaccinated travellers from 21st February, I still wouldn’t trust WA tbh but anywhere else you should be fine. I am currently at Melbourne airport waiting to fly home to Sydney and it is so nice to see the airports starting to get busy again (albeit mainly domestic travel at the moment).

Cantbelieveit101 · 07/02/2022 04:16

You should be OK but you would need a back up plan in case any of you get Covid and need to quarantine for the 7 days.

DaisyTheUnicorn · 07/02/2022 06:23

We want to visit Tas and Melbourne but its such a huge expense for us we can't risk needing to isolate for a week over there.

We are wondering at easter 23. There's talk of dropping isolation for so long in the UK so it may be that australia do just a year later ...

Ozgirl75 · 07/02/2022 08:44

They’ve stopped all isolation requirements a while ago and from the end of this month tourists can visit so you’ll be fine on an Aus passport.
Things are basically back to normal now apart from wearing masks which finishes at the end of the month.

Ozgirl75 · 07/02/2022 08:44

Just don’t go to WA!

BritInAus · 07/02/2022 09:19

@Ozgirl75

They’ve stopped all isolation requirements a while ago and from the end of this month tourists can visit so you’ll be fine on an Aus passport. Things are basically back to normal now apart from wearing masks which finishes at the end of the month.
Where does mask wearing finish this month?
ChildHeadache · 07/02/2022 09:53

Ozgirl sorry I meant isolation if we caught covid or had it asymptomstically.

We currently isolate 10 days in england if covid +ve (some people release early with 2 negatives) but I think that will drop soon. I think Denmark is less.

Usually australia is a while later in dropping restrictions.

So many people lovally (mainly kids) are covid positive with no symptoms. I cant face arriving in Australia and catching it from someone asymptomatic and having to isolste.

DaisyTheUnicorn · 07/02/2022 10:00

(Name change fail!) I Looked up Tas and Melbourne and rhey currently isolate 7 days if covid positive (so less than we've had to in England this last week!) Although still have requirement to isolate if a contact which we don't.

We can't imagine coming until this comes down as once we've paid for flights/got 3 weeks orranged/off we don't want to lose it to isolating if caught while there. It's going to be everywhere for a while.

JuergenSchwarzwald · 07/02/2022 12:04

I've got friends who are on holiday in Australia now. I was a bit surprised they had managed to get in so early but they do have relatives there. They've been in NSW and Darwin.

Original poster
Madness5 · 07/02/2022 21:18

Yeah, it’s not so much borders closing, it’s catching it out there. My friends caught it and it took a month to get through their family and they all dropped down with it five days from each other. Is it worth the £££ to chance it right now? It’s such a huge expense for us. I was speaking to a friend who had family out from South Africa over Christmas and they all ended up isolating from each other as they got covid. That would be awful.

Thanks for the responses, will bear this all in mind!

OP posts:
DaisyTheUnicorn · 07/02/2022 21:21

Ah you sound in a similar boat to us. Qe won't risk it yet. Every other famiky at school has covid it spreads so fast. I can't imagine all that money and being in Oz and not spending it with family :(

YellowMonday · 08/02/2022 00:35

On the positive side, once you're here everything is normal (just need to book in for activities as everything is busy). Mask mandate is still at play and will be at least in VIC and TAS for a long time. There's also no testing required to travel domestically between VIC and TAS.

But, there is the risk what happens if you or family member tests positive on entry test on arrival to Australia.

Also keep in mind, in particular in TAS there's a bit of fear still on covid, especially around people from overseas. A friend of mine recently came down from London, and some friends in TAS (where I grew up) were quite afraid to see her/no hugs/only met outdoors.

YellowMonday · 08/02/2022 00:38

I'm doing the reverse in May with a holiday in Hawaii - meeting friends there from around the world. Location chosen as while there is a departure PCR required, there's no testing on arrival so no quarantine risk. Covered by travel insurance if I test positive on the pre-travel test.