Soon after Tanya Harper said goodbye to her then 14-year-old son Deegan in Melbourne in July, he was forced into 14 days of mandatory hotel quarantine.
Key points:
- Families and friends are set to reunite after nearly eight months of restricted travel between Victoria and Tasmania
- About 700 Victorian travellers are expected to arrive in Tasmania today
- Victoria has had 27 days of no new COVID-19 cases and deaths
Deegan, who lives in Tasmania, was visiting his mum during school holidays in July when Victorian case numbers started to rise.
On July 8, the Tasmanian Government announced Victorians without an exemption letter would not be allowed to enter Tasmania from midnight.
"I was quite calm because there were no cases in my suburb where we were but his dad was freaking out," Ms Harper said.
Even returning Tasmanians would have to stay in a hotel to quarantine.
Deegan was rushed home but it was too late.
His dad had to take time off work to accompany Deegan in his hotel room, given he was only 14 years old at the time.
Today as Tasmania reopens its border to Victoria for the first time in months, Ms Harper and her son are hoping for a less stressful reunion.
"I can't wait to see him actually, not seeing him for nearly six months has been a bit sucky," Ms Harper said.
"He'll be pretty happy but at the same time he's 15 now, they've got to stay cool as well."
Ms Harper is also coming to Tasmania to see her mother, who has been diagnosed with bowel cancer.
Hundreds expected to arrive
Tanya Harper is one of about 700 travellers expected to arrive in Tasmania from Victoria today, according to figures from the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, the Government department responsible for managing the contact details of incoming passengers.
There will be eight flights today on the Launceston-Melbourne route — a big step up from the four a week since the border closure.
By December, it's expected the airport will be operating at 60 per cent of pre-COVID levels.
At the Hobart Airport, there will be five flights arriving from Melbourne today and five departing Hobart.
Premier Peter Gutwein described the border reopening as a "significant milestone".
The Qantas Group said it expected to be offering more than 16,000 seats per week on services to and from Tasmania in the lead-up to the school holiday period and over the summer break.
The Spirit of Tasmania is scheduling Sunday sailings over the next two weekends to cater for extra demand.
It has been carrying freight and a low number of passengers on each sailing since the border closed.
There are currently no active cases of coronavirus in Victoria — the state has recorded 27 days of no deaths or new cases.
South Australia is now the only state not considered low-risk by the Tasmanian Government.
More details about current coronavirus measures are available at the Tasmanian Government's coronavirus information website.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMibWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIwLTExLTI3L3Rhc21hbmlhbi1ib3JkZXJzLW9wZW4tdG8tdmljdG9yaWEtYXMtY292aWQtcmVzdHJpY3Rpb25zLWVhc2UvMTI5MjIzNzTSASdodHRwczovL2FtcC5hYmMubmV0LmF1L2FydGljbGUvMTI5MjIzNzQ?oc=5
2020-11-26 18:57:00Z
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