Covid 19 coronavirus: Australia's NSW-Victoria border to reopen after four months

People will be free to move between NSW and Victoria without entry permits from November 23. Photo / News Corp Australia

The border between New South Wales and Victoria will reopen one minute after midnight tonight as each state celebrates weeks without any local cases of Covid-19.

The closure began on July 8 when Victoria's second wave of triple-figure daily infection totals started to take hold. Only those with valid entry permits or authorisation could enter.

Sunday marked the southern state's 23rd consecutive day of no new coronavirus cases and Saturday was the 14th straight day of zero cases in NSW.

Earlier this month, the NSW Government revealed the border would reopen at 12.01am on Monday, November 23.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the reopening is "another step in the right direction".

"I want to thank the community, particularly in our border towns, for their patience during what has been an extremely difficult time," she said at the time.

"We have worked closely with the Victorian Government throughout the border closure and will continue to monitor the situation as restrictions are eased.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the date marked two weeks since Victoria dropped its "ring of steel", allowing for travel between the state's regions and metropolitan Melbourne.

"This will be good riddance to a border that Covid-19 forced on us," he said.

"Victorian and NSW residents' efforts have ensured families and friends will be back together and businesses will operate freely but in a Covid-safe way."

Just after midnight tonight, NSW and Victoria will be as the whole of Australia should be, with no border restrictions. Thank you to the police, ADF & @NSWHealth staff who helped make these Covid19 measures work. Thx also to the border communities who were at Covid19 frontline!

— Brad Hazzard (@BradHazzard) November 21, 2020

NSW Health states people entering from Victoria will no longer need a border entry permit.

Murray River Police District Commander, Superintendent Paul Smith, told The Albury Wodonga News there will be works along the border from 12.01am and 6am on Monday to remove the checkpoints.

"There will be works going on at all 27 sites and we want everyone to be safe while we get these checkpoints packed down," he said.