What lockdown? Thousands of revellers flock to Sydney's sunny parks and beaches for 'exercise' with drinks and soccer balls in hand despite citywide lockdown – and the cops are not impressed
- Police crackdown on Covid lockdown lawbreakers patrolling beaches on the first full day of restrictions
- Several Penalty Infringement Notices of $1000 were handed out to those breaching the strict new rules
- Thousands of Sydneysiders were photographed lapping up the sunshine at Bondi beach and nearby parks
Thousands of locked-down Sydneysiders flocked to beaches and parks across the Harbour City on Sunday to catch some winter sun, as millions endured their first day of full, city-wide lockdown.
But police, who were out in force as the stay-at-home orders came into effect, were far from happy with what some residents claimed to be 'essential exercise'.
At Bondi Beach, the epicentre of the current Covid-19 outbreak, revellers were pictured with drinks in hand relaxing on the sand and nearby patches of grass.
Others were seen sprawled out on park benches lapping up the sunshine, while some kicked soccer balls and played volleyball.
Earlier on Sunday, New South Wales recorded 30 new locally-acquired Covid-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections in the Bondi cluster to 112 as fear grow the outbreak is rapidly getting out of control.

Thousands of locked-down Sydneysiders flocked to beaches and parks across the Harbour City on Sunday to catch some winter sun. Pictured: Large numbers at Bondi Beach on Sunday

Pictured: A woman walks her dog past a drive-thru Covid testing clinic at Bondi Beach on Sunday, as the cluster which began in the area swelled to 112

Police who were out in force on the first full day of Greater Sydney's stay-at-home orders. Pictured: Police speak to a woman sitting on a park bench on Sunday

Pictured: A man and a woman holding a drink are questioned by police at Bondi Beach on the first full day of lockdown
Police said a man and woman from Sydney's eastern suburbs were issued with $1,000 PINs after they failed to comply with Public Health Order at the iconic beachside suburb.
Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command observed large numbers of people sitting on a grassed area between Campbell Parade and Queen Elizabeth Drive from as early as 10am this morning.
'Officers spoke to these people and issued them with directions to leave the area, which they complied with,' police said.
'A short time later, police found a 35-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman had returned to the beach.'
A man, woman and teenage girl who fled the eastern suburbs for the Hunter Valley were also slapped with fines, after being dobbed in by locals at an equestrian event.
Police are urging the community to 'abide by the public health orders, and report suspected breaches' in order to keep the community safe.

Pictured: A police officer at Bondi Beach is seen speaking to three men who are gathered around a picnic table on Sunday

Pictured: A young skateboarder getting his essential exercise drops in at a skatepark in Bondi Beach on Sunday

Pictured: Police are seen speaking with a woman sat on a wall enjoying a drink at Bondi Beach on Sunday

Pictured: A couple sitting on a park bench is approached by a police officer as law enforcement crackdowns on lockdown Covid compliance
Premier Gladys Berejiklian thrust the city into a two-week lockdown as cases spread further away from the eastern suburbs epicentre, with several burgeoning super-spreader sites being a matter of concern.
Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant on Sunday gave no guarantee that the lockdown would be lifted on July 9 as scheduled with cases surging and the long list of exposure sites growing at an alarming rate.
As it stands there are only four reasons for anyone in Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour to leave their homes - work that can't be done from home, essential shopping, medical care and exercise in groups less then 10.
Of the 30 new cases, 10 are linked to the Great Ocean Foods seafood wholesaler in Marrickville - another super-spreader site.
This brings the total number of cases acquired through that cluster to 11, as well as the original case who worked there during their infectious period.
One of the people linked to this cluster includes a Virgin Australia flight attendant who tested positive after working as a crew member on five flights between Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and the Gold Coast on Friday and Saturday.
That crew member is now in isolation while Virgin works to contact every team member who would be considered a close contact.
'Virgin Australia is requiring those crew members to cease flying, get tested and isolate. All passengers on flights the crew member operated will be contacted by health authorities and advised on the correct protocol,' a spokesman said.
Eleven of the 30 new cases were in isolation for their entire infectious period, while three were quarantined for most of their infectious period.

Pictured: A woman sitting on a patch of grass is approached by a police officer while scores of sufferers are seen in the background

Despite stay-at-home-order for Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast and Wollongong, thousands packed Bondi Beach on Sunday

Pictured: A group of locked-down Sydneysiders enjoy a game of volleyball as part of their daily essential exercise
The latest exposure sites span across Sydney's east and inner west, including Fonda Mexican Restaurant in Bondi and the Establishment Bar in Sydney's CBD.
Another newly detected case attended the Westmead Hospital vaccination centre on June 22 without realising they were infectious, and subsequent contact tracing revealed they were a close contact of a previously known case.
'As a precaution we have called the people that attended that vaccine centre in a period before and after the case,' Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said.
Police were also out in force in Parramatta on Sunday, conducting random checks to ensure compliance with the stay-at-home orders.

Gym junkies unable to pump iron in the weights room are pictured feeling the burn on Bondi Beach on Sunday, with gyms closed

Pictured: Health workers conduct COVID-19 tests at the St. Vincents Hospital drive-through testing clinic at Bondi Beach on Sunday

A health workers is seen administering a Covid-19 swab test at Bondi Beach's drive-thru clinic on Sunday
A total of 15 fines were issued overnight including a cafe in the Illawarra, in which the owners and staff refused to wear face masks.
Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys said police had been called out to the venue by disgruntled customers.
'It is clearly irresponsible,' he said.
'The community, when you look at social media, was certainly against that stance taken by the cafe.'
Deputy commissioner Worboy praised the number of people who were alerting authorities of the rule breakers.
'We need to show some decency and respect for those people who are trying to help police and others make sure that people comply with public health orders,' he said.

Pictured: Police are seen patrolling Sydney's famous Bondi Beach on the first full of lockdown as cases continue to rise

Pictured: A man sitting on a park bench is approached by a police officer at Bondi Beach as part of Covid lockdown compliance

Pictured: Despite Sydney's stay-at-home orders, a woman is seen soaking in the winter sun on Bondi Beach

Pictured: A surfer preparing to catch a few waves is seen crossing the street next to a sign encouraging locals to get tested for Covid-19
Ms Berejiklian has defended her decision to lock down, and was adamant there were no selfish reasons in delaying making the call.
'I've never cared what people think about me, I care about keeping people safe and ensuring we're not putting unnecessary burdens on them,' she said on Sunday.
'I do not regret a single decision we have taken because it has been based on health advice and when you are making a major decision to lockdown millions of people, you have to make sure it is based on health advice and not because you want to have zero cases every day.'
Just four weeks ago, Ms Berejiklian stood on a stage in Canberra and declared her state 'would never go into lockdown again', prompting some to suggest she held off locking down the city in an attempt to save face.
But she said she has consistently followed health advice and acted as soon as officials on Sunday recommended a sweeping lockdown.
Regional NSW will follow restrictions that were previously placed on Sydney which include having only five visitors at a house, wearing masks indoors, hospitality venues reduced to one person per square metre and outdoor venues reduced to 50 per cent capacity.
'So for those parts of New South Wales that aren't in lockdown, restrictions still apply because we want to make sure that if there have been any occasions where people unknowingly have taken the virus outside into the regions, that we don't have any spread in those regions,' Ms Berejiklian said.

Pictured: A group of young men are seen running on an oval at Mosman on Sydney's North Shore, despite it being closed

Pictured: Despite the stay-at-home order in force across the Greater Sydney region, many residents headed outside for some sun

Le Marché Markets are still operating in North Willoughby with many people seen not practising Social Distancing

Pictured: A busy crowd is seen packed into a small alley despite strict social distancing measures now in place in Sydney. Pictured: Le Marché Markets in North Willoughby
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