She said people should avoid unessential travel until the extent of the spread of coronavirus in the state could be established.

Her comments came after Canberrans who visited the Batemans Bay Soldiers Club last week were ordered to self-isolate after a cluster of cases emerged.

"At this point in time ... really proceed with caution and only travel if it's necessary," Ms Stephen-Smith said.

"While NSW is doing a great job with their contact tracing, we don't want to increase the risk of Canberrans travelling into NSW ... where there may be community transmission that we're just not aware of at the moment.

"I would encourage Canberrans at the moment to maybe put your travel plans on hold unless you really need to travel ... just for the moment while we get a better idea of what is going on in NSW.

"We know a small number of cases can become a large number of cases very quickly."

ACT chief health officer Kerryn Coleman signed a new public health direction on Monday morning, requiring anyone who visited the Soldiers Club on Monday, July 13, Wednesday, July 15 to Friday, July 17, to quarantine at home for 14 days.

Dr Coleman said about 60 people who had attended the club were currently in isolation in Canberra.

There are eight cases of COVID-19 linked to the Batemans Bay club. A Sydney father and son who tested positive were at the club on July 13.

By Saturday evening, six more cases had been identified by NSW health authorities.

Dr Coleman said the outbreak was the "biggest risk to Canberra" importing a case from across the border.

"The biggest chance we have of getting on top of it is having someone already in quarantine and isolated from when they become infectious," she told ABC Radio Canberra.

"Noting how much we all love Batemans Bay and already understanding how many people passed through or stayed in Batemans Bay last week for school holidays, there's going to be a lot of work done and we really hope the community comes on board with us.

"It's as close as it has been now, so it is the time to wake back up."

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Dr Coleman asked anyone who had attended the Soldiers Club on those days to contact ACT Health on the COVID-19 helpline.

Anyone who has been at the club and attends a COVID-19 testing clinic should wear a mask, Dr Coleman said.

As Canberra schools return, Dr Coleman said any students or teachers who had been at the Soldiers Club on those days must self-isolate.

A public health direction was also implemented last week, which legally required people to self-isolate for 14-days if they attended these locations:

ACT Health also strongly advise people to self isolate for 14-days even if they receive a negative test result, if they attended: