Staying in caravan parks when a lockdown is announced has been a confusing experience for recent visitors to Lismore.

When stay at home orders were brought into place in the Lismore LGA at 6pm last night, a group of visitors who left Lismore earlier this week wanted to know what they should do now that they had moved on to another LGA.

So, they rang Service NSW and asked.

Read the latest Covid update: Covid update: Lismore's latest lockdown - day 1

They were told a number of confusing things that made them worried.

They were told:

• If you are in a caravan park you must not emerge from the caravan (or tent) for the duration of the stay.
• Visits to the site bathrooms or toilets are permitted, but with no interaction with any other person.
• Shopping for food, fuel & essentials is permitted - only one person.
• On leaving the caravan site, you must have evidence of your stay duration - and proof to show police that you are heading to another site straight away.
• If you have bikes with you, they are not to be used, as that is recreation, not exercise.
• Being double vaccinated is immaterial
• If you are stopped by police and are unable to give a reasonable explanation of your travelling reasons, you can be fined.
• This applies for 14 days, unless Lismore’s lockdown lifts earlier.

The Lismore App decided to investigate these guidelines and rang Service NSW today.

A Service NSW operator said that the NSW Government stay at home rules do apply to people who have been in the Lismore LGA since September 7.

The operator then checked the NSW Health website for guidelines about caravans while on the phone to the Lismore App.

He said there were no specific rules listed about caravan park stays, but there were guidelines about holiday short term rental stays.

He said the rules are “pretty open”, but in general, you need to follow the stay-at-home rules, which means you can still purchase food and go out for exercise.

“The stay at home rules are not isolation rules – which apply if you have been in contact with anyone who is a close contact of a Covid case,” the operator said.

It also means you CAN ride your bike, as it is considered exercise and a form of transport.

The operator did stress that if you are away from your accommodation that you need to carry a mask, your ID and proof of where you are staying.

“If the police stop you, you will need to show them proof and say why you are out,” the operator said. “It’s up to police interpretation of what is ‘out and about’.”

A Lismore resident who is a friend of the recent visitors said that on three different phone calls to Service NSW, three different responses to the same questions about caravan park stays were given – from three different operators.

It seems that while the NSW Health website has fairly comprehensive guidelines for what we can and cannot do in challenging Covid times, it does not necessarily have every situation covered.

Police discretion and travel restrictions

The Lismore App also asked for clarification on travel guidelines from the head of the Richmond Police District – Superintendent Scott Tanner.

When essential workers such as police officers and medical staff live outside an LGA in lockdown (such as Lismore), what is the procedure to get to Lismore for work from a different LGA each day? 

“If they live in a different LGA then they must abide by the stay at home orders whilst home” Supt Tanner said.

“From my reading of the health order we are a stay at home area and not an area of concern.

“Stay at home means you can travel across LGAs to work if you cannot work from home, regardless of occupation. 

“If you live in an area of concern i.e. the 12 LGAs in Greater Sydney area, then that is when you must apply for permits and be tested.

“Police are appealing to the community to abide by the conditions of the Public Health Order,” Supt Tanner said.

“This current lockdown is for seven days.

“To give us the greatest chance to come out of the lockdown after this time we must limit the amount of community interaction.

“Police will be making regular patrols of our public spaces to ensure compliance.

“It is evident in the Public Health Order that proof of vaccination is required and must be presented to police for inspection of required to do so.

“We are asking the community to use common sense and work with us to ensure we all get through this latest lockdown as quickly and as safely as possible.”

Read more: Stay at home orders and lockdown travel rules explained