Travel from Norfolk Island to Sydney requiring quarantine?

[aweingar]

I have a trip booked from Sydney to Norfolk Island next week, returning to Sydney on the following week.
On the Qantas website I was asked to fill in a Department of Home Affairs form - I guess because Norfolk Island is a semi-international destination. After filling in the form I received an email reply the my trip does NOT meet the criteria for a quarantine-free flight. What's going on? If I'm going to have to quarantine I might as well cancel the whole trip!
Does anyone know what is the quarantine status for flights returning from Norfolk Island to Australia, and, more importantly, where can I get this information officially?

Thanks.

 

[drron]

Something wrong there.Even if not an australian citizen you are technically still coming from an Australian airport.I would ring Home Affairs tomorrow.

 

[Lynda2475]

Seems stranger as COVID-19 | Norfolk Island states "At this point, there is no government advice suggesting you will need to quarantine when you return home from Norfolk, assuming you have not entered a government-defined ‘hot spot’ in the last 14 days." it is considered part of NSW.

Did you use an non-Australian passport on the application?

Can you redo the application, maybe you accidently anwwered a screening question wrong?

As Dr Ron said, call up Home Affairs (was tehre a number in the email rejection)?

 

[henrus]

On the Qantas website I was asked to fill in a Department of Home Affairs form - I guess because Norfolk Island is a semi-international destination. After filling in the form I received an email reply the my trip does NOT meet the criteria for a quarantine-free flight. What's going on? If I'm going to have to quarantine I might as well cancel the whole trip!

This is incorrect and due to a problem with Qantas. They use a similar flight number range as the NZ/international flights hence you were asked to fill out this form.

Does anyone know what is the quarantine status for flights returning from Norfolk Island to Australia, and, more importantly, where can I get this information officially?

Travel to/from Norfolk Island is domestic so instead, domestic restrictions apply. The Department of Home Affairs is not involved in this process at all and instead, NSW dictates the rules. Your flight is NOT an international flight so none of the rules that apply to international flights apply to/from Norfolk Island. Put simply think of it as traveling to a different state, unless NSW gov declares it a hotspot (which it's never been) then it's all good.

Traveling to Norfolk Island you simply need to fill out an entry pass within 72 hours of travel:

COVID-19 Advice for Norfolk Island | Norfolk Island Regional Council

Please note that the advice on this page will be reviewed and updated regularly by the Emergency Management Team (EMT). Last Update Monday 22 August 2022 To stay up to date with COVID-19 information for Norfolk Island, visit this page regularly and/or follow the Emergency Management Norfolk...

www.norfolkisland.gov.nf

This is no different from entering WA, SA, or the NT right now.

When returning to NSW there are no restrictions on domestic travel and the NSW gov has never required-entry passes (except for VIC) so you don't need to fill out any paperwork or online forms.

As for an official link, there isn't anything official saying this because there isn't the need, you can find the NSW latest information here:

NSW COVID-19 travel information

Travelling in, out and around NSW to stay safe from COVID-19.

www.nsw.gov.au

Enjoy your trip and don't worry, there are thousands of people traveling to/from Norfolk Island each week and so far none of them have had to quarantine!

Leaving Sydney the departure area is only for departures from Australia (clean), since COVID transit passengers aren't allowed in the departure area so there is no risk whilst waiting for a flight at Sydney airport. The Qantas crew is a domestic crew (they are not allowed to have flown outside Australia or New Zealand in the last 14 days) and finally, upon return in Sydney, the jet bridge, passport control and baggage claim area used for these flights is separate to other international flights in an area used exclusively by green zone (NZ) and Norfolk Island flights.

 

[aweingar]

Agreed - it should be considered domestic travel. The Qantas website probably added the link because the flight arrives at the international terminal. But when I filled in the form on the Home Affairs website I specifically entered the departure point as Norfolk Island - it was on their dropdown list, so they should know I am only travelling domestically, yet they denied the quarantine-free status.
And yes, I am using Australian passports for the travel.
Just spent half an hour with Service NSW COVID-19 line (they work 24/7). They also could not find any reason for this rejection and suggested I contact Home Affairs tomorrow. There is no contact number on the rejection email, so I'll just use the generic contact number (which was hard enough to find).

 

[henrus]

Agreed - it should be considered domestic travel.

You're worrying way too much. I've made the trip without any problems and hadn't even considered filling out home affairs forms.

Regarding your comment above it's not it "should be considered domestic travel" .... the correct statement is : "it is domestic travel" (source : Norfolk Island Passenger Air Services )

Qantas added the link because they've done that for all flights in the international range QF1-199. You're just wasting your time contacting people at home affairs who'll have no idea. As for Norfolk Island being on the form, you'll find that it'd just be a list of every country, it wouldn't surprise me if Australia is a drop-down option. If you look at the South Australia form it has a question asking if you've been overseas in the last 14 days and then a dropdown selection of countries, both Australia and Norfolk Island are ironically listed and because these online forms are designed to spit out a no you must quarantine unless it's been approved (which only NZ has been) that's why you got that result.

If you really want an official answer from the government then you'd be better contacting the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications as they manage territories of Australia.

Norfolk Island

Norfolk Island is an external Australian territory in the Pacific Ocean about 1600 km northeast of Sydney. Norfolk Island is one of Australia's most isolated communities and one of its oldest territories, having been settled six weeks after Australia's founding settlement at Sydney, New South Wales.

www.regional.gov.au

 

[henrus]

For anyone, interested Qantas also has some more documentation on their website and in all cases refers to Norfolk Island as domestic.

Basic Information about the service:

Norfolk Island flights | Qantas

Find information on the flights being operated from Norfolk Island

www.qantas.com

Qantas domestic route map (which shows Norfolk Island now as seasonal):

Qantas Domestic network changes

Qantas Domestic network changes

www.qantas.com

Qantas domestic travel updates (note Norfolk Island is listed under traveling within Australia):

Travel updates | Qantas AU

Get the latest information on disruptions, cancellations and other issues which may have an impact on your flight or booking with Qantas.

www.qantas.com

 

[aweingar]

I have discussed this with:
Service NSW
Home Affairs (Federal)
Health NSW
NSW tracing hotline (they were the most helpful)
Qantas
Norfolk Island Regional Council

The all agree that travelling from Norfolk to Sydney is domestic, no one has a clue why the Home Affairs form does not grant me quarantine-free travel (including Home Affairs itself). Qantas were the least helpful.
Anyway, it is certain to be a mistake, first on the part of Qantas telling me I need to fill in this form, and then Home Affairs for not granting quarantine exemption for what is a domestic trip.

I will report here after I return, hopefully from home...

Post automatically merged: Mar 26, 2021

I've made the trip without any problems

When did you have your trip?

 

[henrus]

When did you have your trip?

End of November last year.

no one has a clue why the Home Affairs form does not grant me quarantine-free travel (including Home Affairs itself)

I guess because you're applying for the international form but traveling domestically, that form is set up to tell you that you need to quarantine unless the only country you list is NZ.

 

[DC3]

I believe that the question has been answered

 

[Tiki]

Anyone know why yesterday QF 183 BNE-NLK was diverted to Auckland?

I am already very nervous after Victoria is requireing all QLD to quarantine. I hope Norfolk island isn't this trigger happy?

 

[henrus]

Anyone know why yesterday QF 183 BNE-NLK was diverted to Auckland?

My only guess would be the weather. Although the difference between diverting to Brisbane or Auckland is 376km's (closer to Auckland) so it seems odd that they'd go to Auckland given the current situation, in the end, it seems they sat on the ground for a bit refueled and then were able to make it into Norfolk a few hours later but I imagine if they couldn't it'd just end up being back to Brisbane from Auckland.

I hope Norfolk island isn't this trigger happy?

Norfolk Island generally follows QLD's advice, so if QLD is declaring hotspots (or locking down themselves) then Norfolk does the same otherwise it's all good. Mind you they do have limited testing capabilities on the island (tests don't need to be flown to the mainland) but they wouldn't be able to process a whole flight like VIC seems to do.

 

[Tiki]

Well at least the 25 person party didn't happen so that's a huge relief! But it freaks me out that for example if I had dined at that pizza place or any of the "close contact" spots, this holiday would be ruined. Just for innocently being in the wrong place at the wrong time! Even if we subsequently test negative and are perfectly healthy - flat 14 days isolation! I still can't get my head around that! At least with Jobkeeper gone, maybe AP will be less trigger happy with the hotspots. We will stay at home as much as possible before the trip just to avoid contacts.

 

[henrus]

Rather amazingly the Norfolk council has already updated their information, anyone who'd already arrived on Norfolk from Brisbane doesn't have to lockdown for 3 days.

COVID-19 Advice for Norfolk Island | Norfolk Island Regional Council

Please note that the advice on this page will be reviewed and updated regularly by the Emergency Management Team (EMT). Last Update Monday 22 August 2022 To stay up to date with COVID-19 information for Norfolk Island, visit this page regularly and/or follow the Emergency Management Norfolk...

www.norfolkisland.gov.nf

 

[Tiki]

I am glad to see Norfolk is being reasonable. So as long as Brisbane isn't locked down, they will allow travel? I am worried about the week after Easter. We have not been in any of the "hotspots" and are going to stay home until the trip.

 

[aweingar]

I will report here after I return

Happy to report that no quarantine was required, it's just a case of government department mis-managing quarantine forms. We were even given some covid-19 form to fill-in at passport control on the way in, only to be told later that there is actually no need to fill them in.

 

[henrus]

Happy to report that no quarantine was required, it's just a case of government department mis-managing quarantine forms. We were even given some covid-19 form to fill-in at passport control on the way in, only to be told later that there is actually no need to fill them in.

What was the form, a NSW health form?

In Brisbane, they seem to be all over the Norfolk flights with no problems (from my own experience and from what I've heard from others). I would think Sydney would be the same although at times it could be possible for bubble NZ and Norfolk arrivals to mix hence this possible form mix up.

Last year I came back in from Christmas Island (same setup as Norfolk flights) and Perth airport (specifically WA health) was a bit confused. Someone in head to toe PPE met the plane and handed, played a message over the PA saying you may be subject to hotel quarantine, and then upon disembarking handed everyone an info sheet explaining the hotel quarantine process. WA police and other health staff downstairs were quite confused we had that information sheet and sure enough after collecting baggage, we were free to go.

 

[kpc]

Heading to Nlk at 0930 tomorrow...travel.pass ready Weather loks a bit wet over the week

 

[aweingar]

What was the form, a NSW health form?

In Brisbane, they seem to be all over the Norfolk flights with no problems (from my own experience and from what I've heard from others). I would think Sydney would be the same although at times it could be possible for bubble NZ and Norfolk arrivals to mix hence this possible form mix up.

Last year I came back in from Christmas Island (same setup as Norfolk flights) and Perth airport (specifically WA health) was a bit confused. Someone in head to toe PPE met the plane and handed, played a message over the PA saying you may be subject to hotel quarantine, and then upon disembarking handed everyone an info sheet explaining the hotel quarantine process. WA police and other health staff downstairs were quite confused we had that information sheet and sure enough after collecting baggage, we were free to go.

The form was from the federal department of Home Affairs. There was a link to this form on my Qantas booking, implying that I need to fill this in.