Five men who allegedly used a dinghy to sneak to a remote North Queensland island, in contravention of COVID-19 regulations, have been charged by police.

April 4, 2020

Five men have been charged for non-essential travel to a remote community in North Queensland.

Three men aged 19 and two aged 30 and 46 allegedly used a dinghy to motor from Townsville to Palm Island, police said on Saturday.

They were charged with failing to comply with an emergency requirement under the Commonwealth Biosecurity Act and the state’s COVID-19 health regulations.

Two of the men have also been charged with possessing drugs. All five were denied bail and are due to appear in the Townsville Magistrates Court on Sunday.

In the state’s south, new tougher border restrictions implemented on Wednesday have resulted in NSW residents tying to sneak into Queensland on foot only to be turned away by police.

Backpackers who tried to cross into the state on public transport have been pulled off buses and sent packing as police warn the crackdown will continue.

One driver took to the footpath to avoid the barriers that cut Queensland off from interstate travellers.

“It is extraordinarily disappointing,” police commissioner Katarina Carroll said on Friday.

“We are doing this for our safety and the safety of our community. I just ask that we all work together.”

Police have ramped up security at the Queensland-NSW border, stopping thousands of motorists as they try to cross the state line.

Queenslanders are still allowed to return home and freight traffic is exempt. But anyone else needs a government permit to prove cross-border movement is necessary.

About 48,000 vehicles have been stopped since Friday, with 391 turned back to NSW and 2264 people ordered to go into mandatory 14-day self-isolation.

The checks have caused significant delays on the highways but Ms Carroll asked for patience and co-operation.

“There will be delays but If you do not have have a border pass, there is no entry into Queensland.”

Another five people were issued with fines on Friday night, taking the total to 19, for flouting the new social distancing and quarantine regulations.