BA2840/1691: Cocklebiddy Motel, 22 April 2020

Summary

The photographer, Darren Clark, documents his journey through COVID-19 Western Australian regional border restrictions from Karratha to the border at Eucla. He is stopped by police outside Karratha, outside Denham, on the Brand Highway before the Great Northern Highway, Mundaring, outside Coolgardie and Eucla. Signs warning of checkpoints and travel restrictions and advising of new hygiene and social-distancing rules appear along the route. In Tammin and Merredin he is refused service and locals refuse to let him stop so he is forced to travel on to Southern Cross. Social-distancing is enforced at the almost deserted Cocklebiddy Roadhouse and he stays at the Cocklebiddy Motel before crossing the border at Eucla. On 1 April 2020 the Western Australian State Government introduced intrastate travel restriction, limiting movements between the regions of W.A. Travel between regions was restricted, with police checkpoints set up at the borders. Only essential travel was permitted. At some checkpoints, police were assisted by Australian Army and W.A. emergency services personal. Remote communities and some "biosecurity areas" had further travel restrictions due to the lack of medical facilities and number of high risk community members. These travel restrictions were substantially lifted Friday 29 May with the exception of the Kimberley and some vulnerable Aboriginal communities in the Pilbara.