Coronavirus: Australia’s Bondi beach closed after crowds defy ban on gatherings of over 500 people

‘We are relying on the laws of common sense – they will be asked to move on if there are more than 500 people on the beach,’ say New South Wales police

Australia’s famous Bondi Beach has been temporarily closed after the number of people flocking there exceeded the government’s coronavirus restrictions on outdoor gatherings.

New South Wales police ordered the closure of the beach on Saturday afternoon, after people visited the tourist hotspot to take advantage of the warm weather.

The local government in the area, Waverley Council, also closed Bronte and Tamarama Beaches.

The measure will be extended to other beaches if social distancing rules continue to be broken, in which non-essential outdoor gatherings of more than 500 people were banned.

Paula Masselos, mayor of Waverley, said in a statement: “I want to reiterate that this is a time to be kind, whilst being vigilant in maintaining social distancing recommendations, as well as personal hygiene and staying home if you’re feeling unwell.

“If you are being asked to leave the beach, please be respectful to our lifeguards and surf lifesaving volunteers. They are doing their jobs in keeping our beaches safe.

“We all have a role to play in preventing the spread of Covid-19. We all need to behave in a safe and responsible manner so that the spread of this virus can be slowed.

“No one is immune to Covid-19 and behaving irresponsibly puts the entire community at risk.”

NSW police minister David Elliott told a press conference: “We are relying on the laws of common sense. They will be asked to move on if there are more than 500 people on the beach.

“In consultation with the police and Surf Life Saving NSW, we will now see beaches across the state that do not comply with the regulations close.

“If people do not comply, the police will have the power to ‘move on’ individuals. This is because we want you to be safe.”

Federal health minister Greg Hunt said the number of people on Bondi Beach was “unacceptable” after photos of the crowds went viral on social media, reported the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Bondi Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Australia. In March 2019, it saw 459,000 visitors, with 80 per cent of those visitors coming from Sydney.

Australia has reported more than 1,000 cases of coronavirus and seven deaths.