Queensland is preparing to 'cautiously' re-open the NSW border for those caught between the two states while the rest of the state will remain locked out.
Discussions on the reinstatement of a border bubble between the two states are officially underway, in welcome news for families separated by the hard measure.
Queensland will continue to deny NSW residents entry into the state, despite the lifting of lockdown restrictions in 'vast amounts' of regional areas.
The state government said current border restrictions would remain in place until further notice, in a statement released on Thursday afternoon.
Discussions on the reinstatement of a border bubble between Queensland and NSW are officially underway, in welcome news for families separated by the hard measure (pictured)
The soft-opening of the NSW-Queensland border comes after Deputy Premier John Barilaro announced thousands of regional NSW residents would be set free from stay-at-home orders (pictured, the Murrumbidgee River in Wagga Wagga, one of the areas due to leave lockdown)
However a discussion between Queensland Police Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski and his southern counterpart NSW Cross Border Commissioner James McTavish about the 'arrangements in northern NSW and the border community' will be taking place.
It is understood that any agreement between the commissioners will be conveyed to the public on Friday, the Courier Mail reported.
The state last month brought in a two-week pause on arrivals from NSW, Victoria and the ACT, when the hotel quarantine system hit capacity.
The ban was lifted earlier than expected on Friday with 50 hotel rooms re-opened for quarantine, with another 680 added on Monday.
The soft-opening of the border bubble comes after Deputy Premier John Barilaro announced thousands of regional NSW residents would be set free from stay-at-home orders.
Those living in the state's mid north coast, north coast, north-west, northern rivers, Byron Bay, Albury, Riverina and Murrumbidgee regions are set to be released from lockdown at 12.01am on Saturday.
Queensland will continue to deny NSW residents entry into the state, despite the lifting of lockdown restrictions in 'vast amounts' of regional areas (pictured the QLD-NSW border)
Those living in the state's mid north coast, north coast, north-west, northern rivers, Byron Bay (pictured), Albury, Riverina and Murrumbidgee regions are set to be released from lockdown
However, 38 local government areas across regional NSW will remain in lockdown, including the state's central and far west, the Central Coast, Hunter and Shellharbour regions.
The LGAs coming out of lockdown
