The Easter long weekend has traditionally been a time to travel and visit family, but with coronavirus restrictions in place, both of those activities can get you in trouble with the law.

Over the weekend, police around the country issued fines for breaching social-distancing rules.

Here's how each state and territory performed in terms of following the directives.

New South Wales

NSW Police charged five people and issued 111 fines for breaching physical-distancing guidelines over the weekend.

Authorities had promised to increase patrols to make sure people did not travel or get together without a "reasonable excuse".

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Over the weekend, $1,000 fines or court notices were handed out to people having parties and ignoring move-on directions, amongst other things.

Included in the crackdown were 19 people who were fined after gathering for an illegal street-racing meet west of Newcastle on Saturday afternoon.

Police said they saw up to 40 vehicles gathered at Stockrington Conservation Area in Haul Road.

Many of them escaped into surrounding bushland, but 19 cars were stopped.

There were also three children — a nine-year-old and two 18-month-olds — accompanying adults.

"Gatherings of virtually any kind are breaching the current Public Health Order, but gathering to conduct street racing and burnouts in a park is illegal, irresponsible and beyond my understanding," Traffic and Highway Patrol Command Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy said.

"I am appalled at the fact that up to 40 drivers were willing to put themselves and others at risk on so many levels.

"And I am even more appalled by the fact three children — who have no choice in the matter — were also exposed to risk. My officers will be alerting the relevant authorities to the actions of their parents and caregivers."

NSW Police has recorded 53 court attendance notices and 406 fines since the Public Health Order came into effect on March 17, 2020.

ACT

Police in the ACT didn't issue any coronavirus-related fines at the weekend.

Canberrans were warned last week they faced fines and demerit points for holidaying across the border, following reports of people travelling to coastal towns.

For many in the ACT, a trip to the NSW south coast is an Easter long weekend tradition.

Eurobodalla Shire Council councillor Anthony Mayne said tourists from Canberra largely listened to the message over Easter, and stayed at home.

"[There were] not too many at all — it becomes very obvious when you do see them," he said.

Mr Mayne said the travel ban was necessary, but businesses were hurting as coronavirus lockdown measures compounded financial hardships caused by January bushfires.

"You don't have the tourists, and a lot of the businesses aren't operating, so that passing trade is not there … it's this spiralling effect and it's really having a devastating impact on our local economy," he said.

Victoria

The Easter long weekend began with a spike in fines being issued to Victorians for breaching physical-distancing directives. ( ABC News: Andrew Altree-Williams )

Police in Victoria issued 183 fines in the 24 hours until 11:00pm on Good Friday, the highest number of infringements since the state's stage three restrictions came into force.

Police said they were targeting "blatant breaches of the Chief Medical Officer's directives" and dangerous driving, and the fines included seven mates found drinking in a schoolyard, multiple instances of private gatherings at homes, and four women found partying in a short-stay property.

A number of the fines related to a protest on Friday in which refugee activists drove a convoy past a hotel in Melbourne's north where refugees and asylum seekers are being detained. Police arrested one refugee activist and fined 26 others a total of nearly $43,000.

Police issued another 92 fines for the 24 hours to 11:00pm on Easter Saturday, including for nine people gathered at a short-stay apartment in Southbank, nine people gathered at a local reserve to play rugby, and seven people playing football at an oval in Melbourne's north.

In the 24 hours until 11:00pm on Easter Sunday, 158 fines were issued after 1,123 spot checks on homes, businesses and non-essential services across the state.

A police spokeswoman said examples of breaches included six outlaw motorcycle gang members gathered in cars on Flinders Street overnight, eight people having a party in St Kilda and "playing loud music", and a number of overseas tourists having a party at a short-stay property in Cowes, south-east of Melbourne.

Police issued additional fines for breaching the Chief Health Officer's directives people to people alleged to have broken other laws, including dealing drugs.

A 21-year-old learner driver was fined more than $1,600 for breaching coronavirus restrictions and drink driving after crashing his car on Friday.

Police saw the car hit a set of traffic lights, then saw the two occupants remove the number plates, before the driver was breath-tested and returned a reading of 0.135.

The practice of "topping up" offenders has been criticised by some legal experts.

Under Victoria's shutdown laws, police can issue on-the-spot fines of $1,652 for individuals and $9,913 for businesses. Those found to be breaching the restrictions can also face criminal penalties.

Queensland

Queensland Police handed out more than $660,000 worth of infringement fines to people contravening coronavirus measures.

State Disaster Coordinator Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said police had also turned away 906 vehicles at the border where authorities found the people had no good reason to enter Queensland.

"There are still those people who don't get the message and do the wrong thing," he said.

"If they are not understanding and they are trying to do the right thing we give them the opportunity to comply, and then if they do the wrong thing we take action."

It was reported one man flew a private helicopter to Moreton Island twice.

"The fellow with the helicopter thought it was OK to fly to an area against the requirements of the directions, not only once but twice, on both occasions actions were taken, and if it happens again I guarantee action will be taken again," he said.

"Easter is just four days of the year and we have a long journey ahead of us yet and we really don't know where this is going to go with any certainty."

Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said confusion was natural given the large-scale nature of the impact of coronavirus lockdown.

He said fewer than 10 per cent of the 496 penalty infringements handed down were for people breaching quarantine.

South Australia

In South Australia, Premier Steven Marshall gave a "grateful thanks" to the community for staying away from the usual tourist hot spots over Easter.

"We are pleased that the people of South Australia have really listened to the requests from regional mayors, regional communities to stay out of the regions this Easter," he said.

"We still, of course, have one day more of the Easter break, but it's fair to say, in speaking to the mayors today, they are delighted with the response of the people of metropolitan Adelaide, the people of SA, who haven't spent their Easter away in regional communities.

"Of course, this is devastating for regional communities' economies, but it's just so important at this time to adhere to all of those restrictions.

"So I say a grateful thanks to the people of South Australia for making sure that we can slow the spread of this disease."

Authorities in the coastal town of Victor Harbor, which normally sees its population inflate significantly over the Easter weekend, praised people for staying away.

"Fabulous to see our wonderful community, including our ratepayers who usually live out of town, following our requests to socially isolate," Mayor Moira Jenkins posted on Facebook.

"Thank you all for not treating this as a normal Easter. I have never seen Victor so empty. Well done."

However, an SA Police (SAPOL) spokesperson confirmed officers had issued 10 expiation notices and five cautions across the state for COVID-19 non-compliance from Friday, April 10 to Monday morning.

"Since COVID-19 fines came into effect, SAPOL has issued 29 cautions and 36 expiation notices in total," the spokesperson said.

SAPOL would not break the figures down further.

Tasmania

Tasmanian police charged 23 people over the 24 hours to Sunday morning for failing to comply with social-distancing laws.

However, Police Commander Robert Blackwood said for the most part, small coastal communities and shack locations were looking quiet.

"[Saturday] at the Bruny Island Ferry, we had 34 vehicles travelling across, and all of those were complying with the regulations, where normally we'd see around 600 cross at that time," he said.

Police said arrests, summons and warnings for breaching coronavirus restrictions were all down.





Northern Territory

In the Northern Territory, three people in Tennant Creek were hit with $1,100 fines for holding large social gatherings in breach of coronavirus restrictions across the Easter weekend.

Police said a 63-year-old man was caught hosting 19 guests, and a 38-year-old woman held a social event with 30 people present, despite previously being cautioned.

A 46-year-old woman hosted an event attended by more than 10 people on Saturday.

Authorities conducted more than 4,100 compliance checks in the territory and issued 21 fines.

A 41-year-old man claiming to have coronavirus was taken into custody for allegedly spitting at Northern Territory police officers.

Watch Commander Sonya Kennon said the man spat into his hand and flicked saliva at the officers.

She said the man's behaviour posed a serious health risk.

"The other thing is that the officers then get concerned with any other infection that may have occurred as a result of dealing with these people," she said.

The man was charged with assaulting police.

Western Australia

WA's hard border closure is set to stay in place for at least six months. ( ABC Goldfields-Esperance: Jarrod Lucas )

WA Premier Mark McGowan was full of praise for the way West Australians behaved over the Easter weekend.

The temperature in Perth reached a new April record of 39.5C on Saturday, prompting concerns beaches could be shut if people did not observe physical-distancing guidelines.

But Mr McGowan said people seemed to have got the message.

"West Australians have done ourselves proud overall, and certainly in comparison with other states and other countries around the world," he said.

WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson also praised the public for mostly sticking with the guidelines, saying police had not needed to issue a single infringement at beaches over the Easter weekend.

"We are extremely pleased with the way the community has rallied together," he said.

"It is physically and mentally healthy for people to get out and exercise … providing we are exercising in a way that doesn't compromise anyone else's safety."

But police were called to two house parties over the weekend, and Commissioner Dawson said charges were "likely".

"We are not in a normal environment, we are still in a state of emergency," he said.