Rugby union fans snuck into Queensland on a $20,000 a day superyacht and lied on their border passes before heading straight to a Test match in Brisbane

Four rugby union fans from coronavirus-riddled Sydney have been slapped with heavy fines after they snuck into Queensland on a superyacht and allegedly lied on their border passes.

The men left Newport on Sydney's northern beaches on 34-metre charter superyacht Dreamtime on July 6 and headed north of the border, arriving on the Gold Coast the following day.

They then allegedly declared on their border passes they hadn't been in a Covid hotspot before going straight to the Australian Wallabies rugby union Test against France at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium.

The men were tracked down by Queensland Water Police and Maritime Safety officers several days later.

They are now in hotel quarantine on the Gold Coast where they have since tested negative to Covid-10.

The men have also been fined more than $4000 each.

'The message is clear, if you have been in a COVID-19 hotspot and you cross our maritime border, you will be intercepted and face the consequences,' Maritime Safety general manager Angus Mitchell said.

'The Chief Health Officer declared the Greater Sydney area a COVID-19 hotspot backdated to 21 June as the COVID-19 situation continued to escalate and while that situation exists, MSQ will rigorously challenge any vessels planning to enter Queensland waters.'

 

Gold Coast Acting Chief Superintendent Rhys Wildman said the group’s behaviour was extremely disappointing and had placed the health of Queenslanders at risk.

“The majority of people do the right thing, but the ones who don’t are putting the Gold Coast community at risk,” he said.

“It’s disappointing and it’s another reminder for people entering Queensland that they must follow the directives of the Chief Health Officer in Queensland.”

 

The lockdown of Greater Sydney and surrounding regions will likely be extended beyond Friday after NSW recorded 112 new cases on Monday, its highest number of daily new cases in 15 months. 

More to come.