To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Group Of Victorians Fined $24,000 For Trying To Sneak Into Queensland

Group Of Victorians Fined $24,000 For Trying To Sneak Into Queensland

'100 percent, we definitely knew we were breaking the rules'

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

A group of Victorians have been caught trying to sneak across two borders into Queensland.

Authorities have been stationed along the New South Wales and Queensland borders to monitor people coming across from other states. Their job is to check where travellers have come from, whether they have any symptoms and what their purpose is for visiting.

Victorians have been prevented from crossing either border due to a huge coronavirus spike, which is mainly contained in Melbourne.

But that didn't stop a group of six people from hopping in a minivan to test their luck.

7News reports the group drove up to Queensland, despite knowing it was illegal, and tried to get into the Sunshine State.

As they edged close to the border, they hopped out of their vehicle and allegedly tried to enter on foot. That's when they were caught.

Authorities detained them and had a look through their phones, which reportedly revealed that they had been in Victoria in the past 14 days, which is against the rules. Each person copped a $4,000 fine for lying on their declaration form about where they had been and where they came from, and were told to go back home. That's one hell of a road trip.

One of the travellers said: "100 percent, we definitely knew we were breaking the rules."

Another added: "Money doesn't run the world, it's all good."

A third said that there were no opportunities for them in Melbourne as a spike in coronavirus cases has caused residents to go into Stage 3 lockdown for another six weeks. The traveller said he thought it was a good idea to try and find some work in Queensland but it 'didn't pay off'.

The traveller said they knew what they were doing was wrong.
7News

Last week, it was announced that Queensland would be shutting its borders to all Victorians and not just people from the affected hotspot areas.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the border will be closed until the recent spike in coronavirus cases is brought under control.

"Given the developing situation in Victoria, Queensland is hardening its border," she tweeted. "From noon, July 10, visitors from Victoria will no longer gain access or be able to quarantine in Queensland. They will be turned around."

Hundreds of cases have been recorded over the past two weeks and the state government hopes the Stay At Home Orders will bring the number of new cases down.

Since those orders went into effect, there have been hundreds of fines dished out to people breaking the rules. On Saturday alone, there were 119 infringements.

Featured Image Credit: 7News

Topics: News, Australia