Travel company fined $5000 for taking busloads of tourists to Taronga Western Plains Zoo

July 2, 2021

NSW Police have fined a travel company owner $5000 for breaching COVID-19 public health orders after taking three busloads of tourists to Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo - despite being aware that more than 70 people onboard were prohibited from travelling outside Greater Sydney.

Defying Sydney’s current lockdown, the tour group of 128 people, including staff and guests, arrived at the western NSW zoo on Monday where they were denied entry, with staff alerting authorities.

State Emergency Operations Controller, Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys, said the company owner told NSW Police he was aware of the public health orders but decided to continue the tour as planned anyway.

However, Deputy Commissioner Worboys advised “the staff at the zoo did exactly the right thing – they isolated the risk and alerted police. They did a great job to protect the local community."

Officers from Orana Mid-Western Police District attended and spoke to tour operators, establishing that the group had left Sydney on Friday 25th June - before Sydney’s lockdown.

The group had continued to travel throughout regional NSW after the public health orders were updated on Saturday, which plunged greater Sydney into a stay-at-home order from 6pm that day.

The guests, none of whom were fined, were directed to return home immediately and the tour company was fined.

Taronga Western Plains Zoo Director Steve Hinks said staff refused entry to the groups and asked them to remain on the buses while police were notified.

Hinks advised “we have very stringent COVID safety protocols in place here.

"All correspondence with the company gave us the confidence that this group was fine to travel throughout regional NSW - of course, on arrival that turned out not to be the case."

The travel company was among more than 30 public infringement notices handed out by NSW Police across the state this week.

As investigations into further possible breaches continue, NSW Police Minister, David Elliott said it was disappointing a large number of breaches of the public health orders occurred on Monday, noting “I would appeal to everyone to not only follow the rules but use your common sense and do your bit to help NSW beat this virus.”

Image: Lions at Taronga Western Plains Zoo.

29th June 2021 - NSW lockdown sees school holiday visitation to Snowy Mountains fall by 70%

27th June 2021 - Rise in Coronavirus cases sees NSW Government introduce two-week lockdown for Greater Sydney and surrounding areas

24th June 2021 - Taronga’s Zoofari Lodge experiences record visitation levels

2nd June 2021 - Theme park tickets and airline rewards offered as incentives for vaccination uptake

9th April 2021 - Chimpanzee found dead at Sydney Zoo

11th March 2021 - Federal Government’s tourism package includes six-month extension of Zoos and Aquarium program

9th March 2021 - Local communities share $10 million funding for bushfire wildlife and habitat recovery

10th March 2021 - Taronga Western Plains Zoo celebrates birth of critically endangered Black Rhino calf

23rd January 2021 - NSW Government approves plan for new Australian animal precinct at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo

7th January 2021 - Zoo and Aquariums Association provides updates on facility updates and upgrades in 2020

8th December 2020 - Taronga Zoo Sydney to reopen Sky Safari observing COVIDSafety

26th November 2020 - Zoos SA embraces the ‘crappiness’ of 2020

9th November 2020 - Taronga Zoo plans for new Wildlife Hospital and upgraded Reptile Centre with government and private funding

14th October 2020 - Taronga Zoo saddened by sudden death of their three-year-old Asian Elephant

3rd July 2020 - Taronga Western Plains Zoo celebrates World Meerkat Day

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

28th April 2020 - Australian Government announces funding for attractions’ animal welfare costs

10th January 2020 - Taronga Western Plains Zoo reflects on highlights from previous decade

4th November 2019 - New $10.2 million precinct at Taronga Western Plains Zoo more than halfway to completion

12th August 2019 - Taronga Western Plains Zoo celebrates Elephant Day

3rd February 2019 - Taronga Western Plains Zoo celebrates birth of two Giraffe calves

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