Two Greater Sydney residents have been busted breaking lockdown at Dubbo's Taronga Western Plains Zoo, in a second public health order breach at the attraction this week, police report.
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The pair ignored stay-at-home orders in place until July 9 and travelled to the NSW North Coast, Lightning Ridge, Inverell and then to the zoo at Dubbo, where they were detected, Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys told media at a daily COVID update.
It comes after a tour operator was fined $5000 on Monday for taking three busloads with at least 76 people to the zoo who were not permitted to travel outside Greater Sydney under public health orders.
In the latest incident, the man and woman - both aged 19 - from Sydney have each been issued a $1000 fine after they were refused entry to the zoo.
Staff immediately notified police after they established the couple had travelled from Sydney and visited a number of regional locations since Sunday June 20, police said.
Officers attended the zoo and escorted the pair to a COVID-19 testing facility, before they were instructed to immediately return to Sydney and isolate.
Deputy Commissioner Worboys cited the latest pair to attempt to visit the zoo as one of the significant examples of breaches of the lockdown imposed in an effort to contain the state's COVID-19 outbreak.
In total 75 infringement notices and 12 court attendance notices were issued in the past 24 hours, he said.
"[These] are just a couple of examples where people are still not adhering to the orders, that they're taking their own personal circumstances and desires beyond what's the best for the community," he said.
"They are examples of where people will contact police, provide information where police can their location, issue them with the proper infringement notice and direct them back to Greater Sydney."
Once again, as on Monday, it was zoo staff who contacted police and did not let the people enter, the zoo reports.
"On Thursday, two guests arrived at Taronga Western Plains Zoo and during the COVID check-in advised they had left the Greater Sydney area on or after June 21," the zoo said in a statement to the Daily Liberal.
"The couple was not permitted to enter the zoo and the NSW Police were called for assistance.
"All staff who interacted with the guests were wearing masks, were socially distanced and sanitised directly afterwards.
"The majority of guests to the zoo continue to respect staff and follow the measures in place and we are thankful for that.
"The health and safety of our animals, guests, staff and volunteers are our top priority and we are committed to maintaining these measures for as long as public safety requires us to.
"Taronga Western Plains Zoo has very stringent COVID compliance measures in place to ensure we can continue operating in a safe manner at this challenging time.
"We ask that all guests comply with the NSW Health public order so that we can continue to be open for business."
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Faye Wheeler
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
