Lockdown reopenings: NSW museums and galleries, Western Australian facilities, Gold Coast venues

June 1, 2020

With a range of facilities reopening across Australia after the Coronavirus lockdown, here is a snapshot of the latest developments

Museums, galleries and libraries in NSW
Many of the NSW’s museums, galleries and libraries will start welcoming back visitors from today.

These include the Art Gallery of NSW; Sydney Living Museums; State Library of NSW; Powerhouse Museum and the Sydney Observatory.

Each location will operate in a COVIDsafe environment to protect the health of visitors and staff, which will include strict physical distancing of 1.5 metres between people at all time, enhanced cleaning and limiting guest numbers to allow for 4 square metres per person.

The Australian Museum is closed to the public until Spring 2020 to enable major renovation, Project Discover.

Western Australian aquatic centres, gyms and sport venues
Under the latest easing of lockdown measure in Western Australia, from Saturday 6th June swimming pools will be permitted to accommodate up to 100 persons in specific identified spaces and up to 300 patrons per venue provided there is a social distance of at least 2 metre² per person.

Facilities with multiple pools can open multiple indoor and outdoor pools in line with the restrictions on maximum numbers of patrons (swimmers and spectators).

Changing room and shower facilities can also reopen.

Click here for more information.

Aquatic centres and sporting venues on the Gold Coast
The City of Gold Coast has advised that its Gold Coast, Palm Beach and Miami Aquatics Centres will reopen with restrictive services on Monday 22nd June subject to Industry Plans allowing groups of 20 in the separate sections of the venues. The City will use the coming weeks to return staff to work and ensure all water quality and temperatures are back to public access levels.

Other centres are expected to open in Stage three or once any refurbishments are completed.

In addition, from Saturday 6th June:

Coomera Indoor Sports Centre - Open for gymnastics leased space only.
Carrara Indoor Sports Stadium - Open for squash, roller sports and basketball during set times.
Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre - Open for basketball, netball, futsal and volleyball during set times. Venue open to casual shoot arounds for up to 20 people during set times.
Gold Coast Sports Precinct - Open between 4pm and 10pm
Gold Coast Cycle Centre - Open between 4pm and 8pm

The Gold Coast's tourist parks will take bookings from 13th June to allow contractors to re-engage staff and prepare the facilities while City Libraries will be reopening all return chutes on Monday 8th June.

Image: Coomera Indoor Sports Centre.

1st June 2020 - City of Melbourne advises that community facilities will reopen this week

31st May 2020 - Queensland opens up intrastate travel but borders to stay closed

29th May 2020 - Fitness Australia releases Checklist to ensure gyms offer safe environments when reopening

29th May 2020 - Report suggests that registered clubs in NSW will reopen with more than 500 patrons from Monday

29th May 2020 - Planet Fitness Australia founder calls on governments to ‘open our gyms’

14th May 2020 - National Aquatic Industry Safety Committee endorses new risk management guidelines for swim schools and aquatic facilities

13th May 2020 - Community aquatic, recreation and sport industry alliance seeks 12-month stimulus package from Federal and state governments

11th May 2020 - ARI release guidelines for managing Coronavirus risks in reopened aquatic centres

24th May 2020 - Sport Australia launches toolkit to guide safe return of community sport

21st May 2020 - Genesis’ reopened Western Australian clubs deliver supervised group fitness

11th May 2020 - Western Australia to allow activities with maximum of 20 participants

7th May 2020 - Western Australian Government releases factsheet on how easing of Coronavirus restrictions will impact community sport and recreation

20th May 2020 - Art galleries and museums to reopen from 1st June as NSW Government lifts regional travel ban

27th May 2020 - AALARA releases guide for the reopening of Australia’s attractions industry

27th May 2020 - Melbourne attractions look forward to reopening to public in June

24th May 2020 - NSW wildlife attractions look to reopen with new safety rules in place

7th April 2020 - Popular Gold Coast beaches to be closed after Coronavirus rules ignored

26th March 2020 - Gold Coast tourism leader says Coronavirus restrictions ‘death by a thousand cuts’

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