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Sunny skies and crystal clear water have proved impossible to resist for thousands of residents across Sydney who ignored the coronavirus threat and flocked to their local beach on Monday morning.

The popular Cronulla Beach Walk was packed with walkers and joggers throughout the morning, despite a regular presence of NSW Police officers to tell anyone who dared stop to chat that it was time to move on.

Sitting at either end of a beachside park bench, John West and his friend Greg believed they were entitled to have their morning coffee out in the fresh air.

But after being approached by a policewoman, the two men were soon on their way.

'We were told you have to be active, you're not allowed to just sit around and enjoy the fresh air,' Mr West told Daily Mail Australia.

Thousands of Sydney locals flocked to beaches such as Cronulla (pictured) on Monday morning, putting sunny skies ahead of the threat of coronavirus

NSW Police officers were out in force at Cronulla Beach in Sydney's south on Monday, ordering anyone who wasn't exercising to move on

People are only allowed out and about for an essential reason such as exercise (pictured), medical attention or shopping for groceries

One of the city's most famous beaches, Cronulla was as busy as usual on the first day of NSW school holidays despite strong social distancing restrictions

Despite sitting the required 1.5 metres apart at either end of this park bench, John West (left) and his friend Greg (right) were politely told to move on by a NSW Police officer

Police asked this couple to move on after they stopped their bike ride to have a rest and a coffee on a bench at Shelly Park

'She (the policewoman) was very polite and I think it's fair enough. Obviously the rules are terribly inconvenient but we are in a serious predicament.'

A further 18 people received $1000 on-the-spot fines across NSW on Sunday, taking the total number of public infringement notices (PINs) to 85. 

By comparison, Victoria Police issued infringement notices 145 on Saturday alone for those ignoring distancing regulations or caught away from self-isolation.

But most of those who got in some exercise on Monday adhered to the social distancing restrictions, giving a wide berth to other walkers or runners as they passed each other on the path. 

Among them were Peter, 83, and Cara Sigal, 81, who swim all year around down at the Shelly Beach ocean pools, to the south of the main Cronulla esplanade.

With the pool closed they ventured down by the water for a brief walk and some fresh air, but said it would be their only outing for the day. 

'We come down here and swim every day, even through winter, but it's closed at the minute so we're just going to do a little exercise,' Mrs Sigal said.

'We're in our 80s so we understand the danger and think the restrictions are appropriate, but we need to keep our fitness up and stay active.

'The only way it will be beaten is if we all stick to what we are being asked by the government.'

But not all who were out and about were impressed by the restrictions, with one walker labeling them 'bulls**t'.

'To be frank, I think it's a load of bulls**t. The numbers at the minute just do not warrant these restrictions and I'm shocked by how many people are just buying into it,' a woman who wanted only to be known as Rosemary said.

'I think it's a complete over reaction. It can't go on for six months like they are talking about because people will not stay inside that long.

'I certainly won't stay inside that long and I'm not (now). I come out and do what I want to do and then go home. I might walk for two hours - I walk everyday anyway and have been doing for 20 years.'

Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting that any of the people pictured were in breach of the law. 

The number of coronavirus cases rose to 5,750 on Monday morning, with 37 deaths directly linked to COVID-19. 

Two men aged 85 and 86 died from COVID-19 in New South Wales on Sunday, taking the state's death toll to 18.

There are more than 5,700 confirmed coronavirus cases in Australia currently, with 37 deaths linked directly to the virus

There was a spike in the number of deaths over the weekend, with two deaths on Sunday following four fatalities of men aged 61, 76, 80 and 91 - three of who were passengers on the doomed Ruby Princess cruise ship - on Saturday, all of them in NSW

The Ruby Princes docked at Port Kembla near Wollongong, an hour south of Sydney, on Monday where the 200 members of its crew who have coronavirus symptoms can be treated

It followed the deaths of four men - aged 61, 76, 80 and 91 - in NSW on Saturday, three of who were passengers on the infected Ruby Princess cruise ship. 

There was an increase of just 57 cases in NSW - the undisputed epicentre of the virus in Australia - on Sunday, in a significant change to late-March when more than 400 new cases were being reported a day. 

While some are claiming social distancing rules are beginning to pay dividends, others point to fewer tests being carried out across Australia over the weekend.

It comes after NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller announced a criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the docking and disembarkation of passengers from the ill-fated cruise ship on March 19.

The investigation - to be led by the NSW Police homicide squad - aims to identify how passengers were allowed to disembark the ship in Sydney, despite more than 100 allegedly showing common symptoms of coronavirus.

A total of 622 COVID-19 cases and at least 11 deaths across the country are linked to the ship.

The NSW government on Sunday urged young people to take the COVID-19 pandemic seriously, revealing more than a quarter of the state's current coronavirus cases are in people aged under 29. 

But despite the threat of $1000 fines for breaching social distancing guidelines, some locals on Sydney's northern beaches do not appear to be concerned. 

Beachgoers flocked to Sydney's Manly Beach to exercise and take in the sunrise as it is reopened on Monday morning, just a day after it was closed due to strict social distancing policies

On Monday morning hundreds of people turned out in force to take advantage of the mild Autumn morning for a swim, exercise or catch-up with friends

Beachgoers flocked to Sydney's Manly Beach on Monday morning to watch the sunrise despite the beach being closed on Sunday

Beachgoers were pictured sunbathing and socialising - some ignoring the government's ban on public gatherings of more than two people

Visitors to Manly Beach have come under fire over the past few weeks for an apparent disregard of the COVID-19 restrictions, escalating to a point where the beach was so busy on Sunday that it had to be closed by lifeguards.

But the first day of the Easter school holidays again brought the crowds back with hundreds enjoying the sunrise by the water, again flouting social distancing guidelines - seemingly undeterred by the events of the previous day. 

The three-kilometre strip in Sydney's northern beaches was finally closed to the public at 11am on Sunday by police after locals and visitors packed the beach for the third consecutive day. 

But less than 24 hours later, Northern Beaches Council declared the beach was open again for 'exercise only'.

Photos showed locals sunbathing, surfing and enjoying their morning coffees in defiance of the government's ban on public gatherings of more than two people.  

'It looks like it's the end of the footy with the amount of people right now at Manly Beach at the moment,' Manly resident Cecil told Triple M Sydney's Moonman in the Morning. 

'I've been here a long time, and to me, it looks like there's more people now then there normally is.

'The one thing i find distributing is most of them are carrying takeaway coffee... it's like they're dying for their next cup. We can have takeaway coffee at home, we don't need to get it. What are we doing?'  

In NSW, police have issued dozens of on-the-spot $1,000 fines for breaches. 

But locals were seemingly unconcerned as they sat in groups and watched the sunrise on Monday - with some even complaining about losing their 'basic human right' to access the ocean water.  

Residents were seemingly unconcerned as they flouted the strict rules, sitting on the beach in groups and watching the sunrise together

Swimmers took to the sand on Monday morning to bask in the Autumn sun just a day after the beach was closed to the public

Some pictured on the sand at the popular northern beaches hotspot ignored the social distancing rule to keep 1.5 metres away from each another

Surfers were spotted getting close in the water at Freshwater Beach on Sunday morning, as swimmers were told they weren't able to enter the water because the beach was closed

'This is ridiculous,' one person complained to the Northern Beaches Council.

The man said his son was studying for his HSC, or final year exams in New South Wales, and occasionally jogged down to Manly Beach for a surf to 'clear his head'. 

'Now I am truly worried about his mental well-being,' the father said. 

'Thanks Northern Beaches Council. I thought you lot were at least using some common sense and acknowledging surfing as a form of exercise.'

Another local agreed that restricting access to the surf would impact the mental and physical well-being of those who rely on it as a form of exercise.

'Fresh air and nature is a human right,' a Welshman living in the seaside suburb said.

'I find it ridiculous if we can't even go in the water. I work 40+ hours a week from my home, live 50 yards from Manly beach and surf for my physical and mental well-being, and train on the grass by the beach.'

A spokesman for the Northern Beaches Council responded to dozens of complaints and questions from locals on its Facebook page on Sunday, ensuring the closures would be reassessed on a daily basis.

'Council's position is that beaches are closed only to swimming at this stage,' the spokesman told beachgoers.

'Walking and surfing is permitted within the rules of no gathering or hanging around. Manly is the exception for today, where police took the initiative to close the beach to surfers as well.'

Police have the right to ban surfing and gathering at the beach again at any point if people continue to ignore social distancing measures.

Manly Beach was closed on Sunday after repeated efforts to encourage beachgoers to practice safe social distancing

The walking track from Curl Curl to Manly has been busy with people milling around despite calls from the government to practice safe social distancing. Authorities were disappointed with large crowds gathered on Friday (pictured) and Saturday 

Police, lifeguards and council rangers (pictured) approaches groups of people to enforce social distancing measures

Manly Beach's entire three-kilometre stretch was finally closed to the public about 11am on Sunday morning