People travelling from Canberra to Victoria on Friday were being told they needed to self-isolate for 14 days after crossing the border, despite authorities advising that they wouldn't have to.
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The ACT government late on Friday afternoon said Victoria had now confirmed travellers from Canberra were exempt from the quarantine requirement, provided they had not recently visited a declared COVID-19 hotspot.
A delay in setting up a permit system for people transiting through NSW - including from the ACT - appears to have created the confusion.
Victoria's COVID-19 testing commander Jeroen Weimar on Thursday said the ACT would remain a green zone after it shut its border to NSW, meaning Canberrans could travel into Victoria after obtaining a border permit.
But The Canberra Times has been told that police stationed at border checkpoints on Friday were instructing some travellers that they had to go into 14 days of quarantine.
Other travellers have reported being told they did not need to self-isolate on arrival.
People in other green zones in regional NSW had until midnight on New Year's Eve to cross the border to avoid the quarantine rules. The border shuts to NSW from midnight on Friday.
Kristian Liddiard said he thought people travelling from Canberra to Victoria would be exempt from the rules applying to other green zones after hearing Mr Weimar's comments on Thursday.
"It is confusing, stressful and frustrating," Mr Liddiard said.
Mr Liddiard said his family would self-isolate at their Melbourne apartment until advised otherwise by authorities.
As of 5pm on Friday, Victorian authorities were still working on a permit system to allow people to transit through NSW - including from the ACT - into their state.
In the absence of special transit permits, Canberrans have had to complete a generic online permit which requires people returning from all green zones on Friday to start a fortnight quarantine after arriving in Victoria.
The transit permit was expected to go live on Saturday.
An ACT government spokesman said it was aware people had received "conflicting advice" when travelling to Victoria on Friday.
The spokesman said it had raised its concerns with the Victorian government and expected their communications and information on travel advice would be updated as the NSW border slam shuts.
"This is a rapidly changing situation and we ask Canberrans travelling to Victoria to remain patient and follow the Victorian government website for more information," the spokeswoman said.
"Any ACT resident who has received conflicting advice at the border this evening should contact the Victorian government for more details."
Victoria's Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to questions from The Canberra Times.
Canberrans are still able to drive to South Australia, despite the state introducing a hard border with NSW. Travellers will need to take the most direct route available and not take any unnecessary stops.
ACT residents who travel to greater Sydney are still required to quarantine for 14 days upon return.
Residents of greater Sydney are cut off from every state and territory after the Northern Territory revised its public health orders to ban Sydneysiders on Thursday.
As well, Western Australia re-established its hard border with Victoria.