We have been putting off a trip to Kangaroo Island for the last 12 months to see where this covid thing was going finally we decided to take the risk and booked our accomodation, ferry etc.. We had to do it now because even 6 weeks prior to departure its difficult to find vacancies as everyone is travelling within Australia rather than going abroad. The original plan was to take our time with the van but as state borders seem to shut with very little notice we intend to travel light taking only the car and driving from Lake Macquarie to Victor Harbour with just an overnight stop somewhere (maybe Mildura). If Victoria becomes a problem then the fall back will be to go the longer way via Broken Hill. The properties we have booked accept cancellations up to a couple of days before the stay but if the worse happens and the SA border suddenly shuts a day or 2 prior to our trip we will lose money - I guess that is a risk you take when planning to travel interstate during these uncertain times. Does anyone know what paperwork or permits are currently required to enter SA by road from regional NSW - I heard that you need to apply online for permit 7 days prior to the date of your arrival at the border ?
Cheers
BB
-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Thursday 11th of February 2021 02:12:37 PM
Your trip sounds great OG we intend leaving here around the 13th March. I used to do a lot of fishing along the Pilbara coast when we lived in Dampier in the late 70s I don't remember ever coming home empty handed. We took our van out to Broken Hill, through the SA riverland and back along the Victorian side of the Murray at the end of 2019 just before the problems started - it seems like the world then was a completely different place.
My biggest concern is that outbreaks have been starting in quarantine hotels and our big hearted NSW premier has just agreed to double the intake of returning travellers to 3000/wk. I dont care how secure they think their systems are every state has experienced problems with managing people in quarantine and the larger the number arriving the more the risk of covid getting into the community. Anyhow all we can do is hope that those running the show can keep the number of community transmissions in NSW at zero then border closures wont become an issue.
There is an app called Coronavirus (not the covid safe one) that has links to all possible info including the most up to date links to each state restrictions and requirements.
BB if all states were like NSW, interstate travel would be a lot steadier.
Don't forget that you are only from NSW until you cross the border and then you become an honorary Covid-19 citizen of the new state so the big danger is that you move into a new state and the borders slam shut giving you no time to get back to "safety"
I don't care because home is where the bus is, but I certainly wouldn't be going far in a car in case I had to sleep in it for a couple of months. Towing a van isn't going to make much difference to travel times compared to a car - but the KI ferry charges for a caravan are pretty steep
-- Edited by Tony LEE on Thursday 11th of February 2021 09:41:01 PM
-- Edited by Tony LEE on Thursday 11th of February 2021 09:44:13 PM
Thanks Tony for the info. about the app. I will check it out. I agree taking the car wont be that much quicker but even when planning the trip prior to the covid problems we had been looking for somewhere to leave the van on the mainland for a few days while we were on the island. I am not as concerned about getting stuck on the SA side because NSW has not been as quick to shut the borders as the other states. I know that they closed it to Victoria when Melbourne had its last major outbreak but even then it took them a week or so to assess the situation before they decided that it was bad enough to warrant doing it.. The positive is that we will halve our fuel costs by taking the wifes Eclipse X compared to towing the van with my Jeep - we took her Eclipse down to Tassie in 2019 and it was a really comfortable car to travel in...As the title of this post implies anyone who is planning to travel interstate at the moment is knowingly taking a risk especially if you pay for things in advance...it took 8 months to get $6K back from Qantas when all the international flights were stopped.
Re (we had been looking for somewhere to leave the van on the mainland for a few days while we were on the island)
I think you could leave the Van at the Caravan Park at Cape Jarvis, or the Hotel Carpark, or 2nd Valley CP, suggest you give them a call.
Agree with TL RE ( but I certainly wouldn't be going far in a car in case I had to sleep in it for a couple of month)
Peter thanks that would have been handy to know when we were previously planning our trip to KI but as I said we have already made our decision to take just the car. If SA closes their border between the time that we leave home and crossing into the state we will just turn around and come home. The bigger threat will be with re entering NSW if an outbreak occurs during the 6 days that we are down there - we are counting on NSW following their usual protocol and not slamming the border shut without at least a few days warning. I,m pretty sure that even if they do put restrictions on it will be a requirement to self isolate for either 5 or 14 days in an agreed location close to the border or for residents as soon as they get home. I,m used to having to do time in self isolation last March I spent 14 days living in a room prior to leaving South Africa then another 14 in my home as soon as I got back. Pretty ironic that at that time there was no covid in over there I was only isolated because I had a close contact with someone who had arrived from 'virus riddled' Australia - at least I had one local who wasn't that concerned about covid come to see me off.....
