Three people from Sydney found visiting Port Stephens during the NSW capital's lockdown have each been fined $1000 by police and sent home.
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Two men from Liverpool, aged 24 and 26, received fines for breaching the stay at home direction and failing to wear masks after they were stopped by Highway Patrol officers in Adelaide Street, Raymond Terrace about 6.40pm on Sunday.
The driver was also given a number of penalty notices related to the vehicle, and police directed the men to return immediately to their homes.
It came after a Sydney woman was found visiting Nelson Bay last Tuesday, June 29, and was fined for breaching the COVID-19 public health order.
The 26-year-old woman was spoken to by Port police in the carpark of a Tomaree Street hotel about noon.
"Police established the woman resided in Sydney's CBD and that she was in the area to visit a friend. She was subsequently issued a $1000 PIN [penalty infringement notice] and was directed to immediately return to Sydney," police said.
The 26 year old was one of two women issued with PINs on the Tuesday for breaching the public health order after being caught more than 200 kilometres from their homes allegedly without a reasonable excuse.
The large number of fines police have issued for public health order breaches since the lockdown and restrictions were reintroduced on June 26 has prompted the Police State Emergency Operations Controller, Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys, to warn the public that now is not the time for people in locked down areas to be travelling around the state.
"If you're from any area covered under the public health order, we don't want to see you away from your home without a valid reason," he said.
"Going on holiday is not a valid reason. Police are also concerned at the number of PINs we have issued for people not wearing masks on public transport.
"It is imperative that everyone continues to follow the Public Health Orders and does not become complacent."
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