Some grey nomads are defying the warning to stay away from the Northern Territory.
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Although well down on the usual pre-Easter rush, many caravan and motor-home holidaymakers have ignored the official NT Government advice to cancel their holiday plans to the Territory.
From midnight on Wednesday, all new arrivals will be force to quarantine at a hotel under Government supervision but many vans have already arrived.
At least 10 caravans were seen pulled into unsecured bush areas alongside the Stuart Highway between Katherine and Darwin late yesterday.
Some caravans even pulled in last night in the Katherine township, presumably after entering through border checkpoints in the past few days.
Most likely because our caravan parks are enforcing the rules that all arrivals, including Territory residents, are required to self-quarantine for 14 days at a hotel in the nearest township - not a campsite with shared amenities.
More reading: The rules for caravans and quarantine.
Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud has called caravans still traveling in Queensland the cruise ships of the outback.
Chief Minister Michael Gunner today said the threat the rest of Australia poses to the safety of the Northern Territory is too great.
"Our actions so far have stemmed the flow of interstate arrivals to the Territory," Mr Gunner said.
"Now I want to stop the flow.
"From midnight on Wednesday, people entering the Territory from interstate - including Territorians returning home - will be required to spend 14 days in forced quarantine, not self-quarantine.
"The rule that apply to overseas arrivals will now apply to all arrivals.
"So that means if you come Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne - from anywhere - you will be directed straight to a hotel that is secured by us and guarded by us.
"And you will stay in your room for 14 days.
And from midnight on Friday, if you still insist on coming to the Territory, whether from overseas or interstate, you will go into forced quarantine, but we will not be paying the bill."
There has even been reports of vigilantism in outback Queensland towns as locals react to the presence of people escaping the spread of the virus in southern hotspots.
There have been reports of van tyres being slashed.
On the weekend the Federal Government advised people aged over 70, aged over 60 with pre-existing conditions, or Indigenous people aged over 50 should stay home wherever possible for their own protection.
Groups like the Rural Doctors Association has called on the nomads to stay at home and not put country areas at risk, especially if they do not have ability to respond to a potential outbreak.
In the Katherine region, particularly, with a large number of road blocks in places right around the region, there are a large number of remote and communities which have been identified nationally as vulnerable to coronavirus.
It is the sort of flagrant breach of quarantine restrictions which has led to some calls for the creation of internal quarantine areas in some states.
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