Tasmania is closing its border with Victoria after the mainland state said it was going into lockdown due to a growing coronavirus outbreak.
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Victoria will enter a seven-day lockdown from midnight on Thursday in a bid to contain the Melbourne cluster that has grown to 26 cases.
Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein announced all of Victoria will from 2pm on Thursday be considered a high-risk location.
"This means that after 2pm you can't travel to Tasmania if you've spent time in Victoria in the previous 14 days, unless you are approved as an essential traveller," he told reporters.
Tasmanian residents in Victoria can apply for essential traveller status if they want to return home.
However, they must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival at a "suitable premises" or in a government-run hotel at their own expense.
Mr Gutwein said he expected the travel ban to mirror the length of the Victorian lockdown.
"We will provide updates as we work our way through this. One would hope that over the seven days they can get on top of this," he said.
Victorian authorities have identified more than 10,000 primary and secondary contacts linked to the Melbourne outbreak.
Anyone in Tasmania who has been at designated high-risk areas and premises in Victoria must self-isolate immediately.
Anyone who has been in other areas of Victoria since May 6 must monitor for COVID-19 symptoms, Mr Gutwein said.
Extra workers have been deployed to staff Tasmania's coronavirus hotline due to a spike in calls.
Australian Associated Press
