Cairns is now open to the rest of Australia: here’s what you need to know

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Cairns is officially open to all of the country, as of 1am this morning.

The border reopening comes after Queensland’s eligible population hit 80 per cent double-dose vaccination rates on Thursday – about a week earlier than first anticipated.

Two flights from Sydney and two from Melbourne are touching down in the tropical north today, while those numbers are set to increase as traveller confidence builds.

Jetstar is nearly tripling its Cairns schedule this week, from just 13 weekly flights from Victoria and New South Wales to 31.

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138 Sydney flights and 103 Melbourne flights will travel to and from Cairns across next week, as families reunite for Christmas. 

Thousands of travellers are also expected to enter Queensland this week via road.

Entering QLD from another state

Fully vaccinated travellers won't be required to quarantine, although they must test negative within 72 hours of entering Queensland if travelling from a hotspot.  

Arrivals from hotspots must also have a COVID-19 test five days after entering Queensland.

If you haven’t been in a hotspot in the 14 days prior to travelling to Queensland, you do not need to take a test.

Border passes are still required for all travellers – regardless of whether you’re travelling from a hotspot or not.

If you are not vaccinated and entering Queensland from a hotspot, you will go into 14 days’ hotel quarantine.

To be considered ‘fully vaccinated’, you need to have had your second vaccination at least one week ago.

Hospitality and healthcare venues mandate

From this Friday, 17 December, a range of venues will only allow vaccinated patrons and staff on site.

The mandate includes all hospitality venues, such as pubs, clubs, hotels, bars, restaurants and cafes.

Entertainment venues such as live music and karaoke bars, as well and indoor and outdoor music festivals, are also included.

Cairns Art Gallery, Cairns Museum and Bulmba-ja Arts Centre will follow the vaccination mandate from this Friday.

Cairns Regional Council venues such as the Court House, CPAC and the Tanks will require proof of vaccination, however libraries will not.

Sugarworld is the Council's only outdoor venue that will prohibit unvaccinated patrons, aside from ticketed events at Munro Marin Parklands and cafes at the Botanic Gardens and the Aqua Lagoon cafe. 

Visitors to aged care and disability facilities, hospitals and prisons are also included in the vaccination mandate from 17 December.

It is not up to businesses or their staff to enforce compliance. This is the responsibility of the Queensland Police Service.

From this Friday, capacity restrictions on these venues will also be scrapped.

How to add your vaccination status to your check-in app

Make sure you have your state’s check in app downloaded and an account set up.

Log into myGov on your phone. You can do this on your phone’s internet browser – you don’t need the myGov app.

On the main page you’ll see ‘Proof of COVID-19 vaccination’ under ‘Quick links’.

Click ‘View history’ under ‘Immunisation history’.

Under ‘COVID-19 Digital certificate’ click ‘Share with check in app’.

Click on the relevant state app and follow the prompts to share your digital vaccination status.

You should then have a green tick next to your name on the app.

Alternative instructions and further information can be found here.

Changes ahead for COVID close contacts

From 1 January, the testing and quarantining requirements for vaccinated close contacts will be relaxed.

Casual contacts must get tested immediately and quarantine at home until passing negative.

They are also encouraged to wear a mask outside of the home for 14 days.

Close contacts who are vaccinated must quarantine at home for seven days.

They must be tested immediately and have another test after five days.

They can leave quarantine on day eight, if the receive a negative test result, but are encouraged to wear a mask outside of the home and avoid high-risk settings (such as crowded venues) for the following week.

Vaccinated household members of close contacts do not need to quarantine, but will need a test on days one and five.

The quarantining and testing requirements for unvaccinated close contacts and household members are stricter. Find them here.  

International arrivals and 90 per cent vaccination rates

International arrivals must be fully vaccinated and return a negative COVID test within 72 hours of departure.

They will be required to get a test on arrival, before going into home or hotel quarantine for 14 days.

Quarantine requirements will be dropped for double-dosed travellers when Queensland hits 90 per cent vaccination rates – expected to happen in mid-January.

Will I be expected to wear a mask again?

Masks are still required across all Australian airports, both in terminals and on flights.   

Acting Chief Health Officer Dr Peter Aitken also said it’s likely Queenslanders will be asked to wear masks at some point.

“We will have cases, that's inevitable, and we have to be ready for that,” he said.

“It’s likely we will need to think about wearing masks again, it’s likely people will need to be quarantined.

“Think about if you're going into crowded places, or if you're visiting elderly relatives – wear a mask.

“If you've got symptoms come forward and get a test and if you haven't been vaccinated already, get vaccinated."