South Coast businesses were bracing for another economic hit after travel restrictions tightened for ACT residents this week.
Travel to much of regional NSW will no longer be possible without quarantining on return to the ACT, after health authorities ramped up restrictions from Friday.
Following the discovery of Covid fragments in wastewater near Nowra, residents planning a visit to six surrounding local government areas will be required to stay at home for 14 days upon their return.
Durras Lake North Holiday Park lost 100 per cent of its camping and 75 per cent of its cabin bookings this weekend, with operators forced to call Canberra on Friday to cancel travellers trips.
The Shoalhaven caravan park will be off limits to ACT residents until restrictions ease, while about 100 metres down the road South Durras in the Eurobodalla Shire is open for business.
The caravan park was also subject to the slip up from ACT Health in December, which declared Shoalhaven off limits instead of Shellharbour.
Owner Andrew Dalzell said while government support covered 40 per cent of staff wages another hit to the bottom line was devastating.
Mr Dalzell said tourists made up more than 90 per cent of bookings during the office season and businesses like his were at risk of collapse.
"We're over it," Mr Dalzell said. "I don't know what will happen if this continues into the September school holidays, that could be the straw that broke the camel's back."
Further north, Cupitt's Estate in Ulladulla had the booking for its cottage accommodation this weekend cancelled as well as dinner reservations for its restaurant.
Owner Libby Cupitt said with Sydney and Newcastle in lockdown visits from Canberra were crucial.
Ms Cupitt said her family had been drawn to watching each NSW and ACT media conference, hanging out for how they'd be affected.
While happy to have avoided lockdown this week, Ms Cupitt said "time would tell" just how hard this latest blow would hit.
"A lot of people's plans have been upset," Ms Cupitt said.
An outbreak of COVID-19 in NSW Hunter and Newcastle regions has also ended free travel to eight surrounding local government areas north of Sydney, with residents of that region heading into lockdown on Thursday evening.
The Hunter and Newcastle outbreak, believed to have spread at a Blacksmiths Beach party attended by people from Sydney, has ended travel to Lake Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Port Stephens and surrounds.
New restrictions mean residents who leave those areas after midnight on Thursday will be required to quarantine at home for 14 days or until otherwise advised by ACT Health.
These are the same restrictions already in place for Canberrans travelling back from Greater Sydney, Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour.
While the snap lockdown in the Hunter region was scheduled to end on August 12, ACT Health had not outlined when restrictions to regional New South Wales will end.
Lockdown in the Blayney, Cabonne and Orange local government areas in the state's central west have been lifted and travel will now be permitted to that area.
However, ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen Smith has advised against all travel to regional New South Wales this weekend.
Other states?
With the sixth lockdown declared for Victoria, ACT residents returning from there after midnight will be required to stay at home.
Canberrans who have spent any time in Victoria in the last 14 days and left Victoria between 11:59pm Tuesday and 11:59pm Thursday will need to complete an online declaration form within 24 hours prior to arrival.
At this time, the stay at home requirement will be in place until 11:59pm August 12.
The ACT government also has a stay at home requirement in place for anyone who has been in 11 local government areas of Queensland on or after July 21.
Residents will be required to stay at home until at least August 8, or until 14 days have passed since visiting the regions.
