"Our beaches remain closed to all land-based activities including social gatherings, sunbaking, walking and jogging," Ms Masselos said on Monday. The partial reopening of the beaches comes as NSW recorded just two new cases of coronavirus after 4400 tests were conducted on Sunday. Premier Gladys Berejiklian said COVID-19 restrictions will be eased in stages, with rollbacks to be announced twice a month. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video "This position of control exists in very few places in the world and it comes down to the number of tests we've done, the number of things we've put in place, now it is time to look at what we can ease and we are definitely in that space," Ms Berejiklian told 2GB on Monday afternoon. "I would tend to think a couple of times a month you will get an indication of what you can do."

However, earlier she warned: "Once people ease back into normal active life ... the number of cases will go up." She said until there is a vaccine or cure, people need to be aware that any easing of restrictions "comes with an obvious consequence, and that obvious consequence is more cases and more people getting sick." Bondi Beach being closed in Sydney on March 21st. Credit:Steven Siewert NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said she was pleased not only by the low number of new cases, but that both were able to be traced – one was a returned traveller in quarantine, and the other was a known contact of a previously diagnosed case. "So in that 24-hour period, no cases of community acquisition where there wasn't a link established," Dr Chant said.

The new cases bring the NSW total to 3004, 2227 of which have recovered. There remain 160 people receiving treatment for COVID-19, including 19 in ICU with 15 of those requiring ventilators. Australia's Chief Medical Officer, Brendan Murphy, said there had been 6720 coronavirus cases nationally, including nine new cases in the 24-hour period to 4pm Monday afternoon. Loading Dr Chant and Ms Berejiklian stressed the importance of continued widespread testing even as the number of new cases approaches zero. "As we consider what May and June look like, we must rely on testing and people coming forward and getting tested even if you haven't been in direct contact with someone with the virus," Ms Berejiklian said. The Premier also encouraged people to download the COVIDSafe app, calling it a "vital tool" to stop the spread.