The Christmas plans of thousands of Sydneysiders are in disarray after state and territory governments escalated border restrictions on NSW travellers yesterday in response to the northern beaches coronavirus outbreak.

Anyone travelling from NSW to Queensland will need a pass to cross the border and travellers to Victoria from Sydney's "red zones" will go into 14 days of hotel quarantine. Anyone from Greater Sydney will be forced to quarantine if they travel to Tasmania while South Australia will impose quarantine on people who have visited the northern beaches.

Travellers were rushing to get out of Sydney on Saturday as border restrictions are imposed. Credit:Steven Saphore

The restrictions imposed on Saturday add to rapid responses already announced by state governments in recent days that have fuelled an exodus of people from NSW as they try to keep interstate holiday plans intact.

State governments have implored their citizens not to travel to Sydney for Christmas because they risk being caught by restrictions when they want to return home.

Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said anyone coming to Victoria from Sydney's northern beaches "will spend Christmas in hotel quarantine" if they travel into the state.

Over 52,000 permits have been issued for entry into Victoria from New South Wales since midnight on Friday. The permit system remains unchanged for the moment but the state's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said a border closure was "in play" over the next 24-48 hours and the state was watching to see if other areas of Sydney would be declared "red zones".

Queensland is reintroducing a border pass system as of Sunday, with applications open from Saturday night.

Anyone coming from the northern beaches will need an exemption and will go into hotel quarantine. Returning Queensland residents who have visited the area since December 11 will also need to quarantine.

Queensland's new rules will require anyone coming from Greater Sydney or the Central Coast to be tested on arrival and to self-isolate until they receive a negative result.

"This is about making sure we keep all Queenslanders safe while people travel around all the Christmas holidays," Queensland's Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said.

The Tasmanian government declared Greater Sydney a medium-risk area on Saturday, meaning that from midnight any arrivals from Sydney are to go into quarantine either in a suitable residence or hotel. Travellers from the northern beaches are barred from the state.

Manly, at the base of the northern beaches, was quiet on Saturday as the area responded to the outbreak. Credit:Renee Nowytarger

"I understand the consequences of this decision at this time of year," Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said.

"It is unfortunate but I make no apology for doing the right thing in terms of the health and safety of Tasmanians."

Following restrictions put in place in recent days, anyone travelling to Western Australia from NSW is required to isolate for 14 days and get a coronavirus test.

People travelling to South Australia and who have been on the northern beaches during the outbreak will be required to quarantine. The state has reintroduced its border crossing application system.

Kerrie Webster brought forward her flight to Queensland. Credit:Steven Saphore

Kerrie Webster, a sterilisation technician from Wollongong, was originally heading up to Queensland on Wednesday but brought forward her plans and left for the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.

"When the situation got bad I decided to change my flight and go today just in case," Mrs Webster, 64, said.

"I haven't seen my granddaughters for 12 months now. I would have been so disappointed [to get stuck in NSW] so I thought it was best to go up there while I could."

Chris Corrieri, a 26-year-old Belmore resident who moved from Adelaide a year ago, hasn't seen most of his South Australia-based relatives since February.

"I got to have mum and dad visit about two months ago but other than that we haven't seen anyone," he said.

Chris Corrieri hasn’t seen most of his South Australia-based relatives since February.Credit:Steven Saphore

Mr Corrieri and his fiancée were always planning to fly to Adelaide on Saturday for a long-awaited family Christmas and stuck with the itinerary because it was too expensive to bring the flights forward.

Mike Yarrow, who was in Sydney for a three-day business trip, is relieved to be returning to Melbourne where the coronavirus is currently contained and restrictions have eased.

"I almost got stuck here in NSW." he said. "It's a good time to get out."

With Ashleigh McMillan and Toby Crockford

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