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COVID-19 Update

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To stay up-to-date for the latest COVID-19 South Australian requirements CLICK HERE.

19 July, 2021

Level 4 Restrictions have been re-introduced.

This means the following is prohibited:

“Fitness or recreation activities:

      • Indoor facilities closed
      • No team, club or contact sport”

This situation is to be be reviewed on Friday, 23 July.

28 June, 2021

Restrictions have been re-introduced for 7 days, including

  • Mandatory mask wearing in “high risk settings” such as in hospitals, residential aged care facilities and personal care settings, such as hairdressers and beauty salons
  • Mandatory mask wearing in indoor seated entertainment venues
  • Recommended mask wearing on public transport, including in Ubers and taxis
  • A 150 person cap at private gatherings in homes and halls, including for weddings and funerals
  • A maximum density of one person per two-square-metres at licensed premises
  • A ban on drinking alcohol while standing indoors at licensed venues
  • A ban on buffets

7 May, 2021

New Direction for Public Gatherings

11 April, 2021

From 31 March, new limitations around density requirements apply – QR code check-in is still required.

1 December

Archery, including competition and community sport in general has returned, but with limitations around physical distancing and the need to now check-in with a QR Code at each venue.

22 November

We are back where we were on 16 November…. Archery is “out of action”, with an expected return on 1 December.

  • Get tested if you feel unwell or show symptoms
  • Work from home where possible
  • Encourage vulnerable people to stay at home
  • Avoid having visitors at home
  • Avoid unnecessary travel
  • Wear a mask where it is not possible to physically distance, for example on public transport
COVID-Safe: Direction to temporarily close

From midnight Wednesday, 19 November, new Emergency Management Directions have come into effect.

These directions require people to stay at home at all times, except in very limited circumstances.

This is intended to provide a short-term ‘circuit breaker’ for the current COVID outbreak in South Australia, with the goal of preventing the virus from spiralling out of control and avoiding the need for long-term lockdowns as seen elsewhere.

The activities that were allowed until now under your Club’s COVID-Safe Plan, will now be prohibited for the duration of the Direction.

When the activities covered by your Club’s COVID-Safe Plan will be allowed to restart, your Club will be automatically issued with a new COVID-Safe Plan.

Accordingly, no new COVID Safe Plans are being issued until that time.

Note: the only businesses and activities that are still allowed to continue at this time are as follows:

  • Supermarkets, butchers, fruit and vegetables stores and fishmongers – but not an indoor or outdoor market
  • Bottle shops
  • Financial institutions
  • Post offices
  • Pharmacies
  • Hardware stores
  • Petrol stations
  • Distribution centres
  • Pet stores or veterinary clinics
  • Emergency services, including fire, ambulance, SES, police, medical retrieval and defence services
  • Essential infrastructure and essential services within the meaning of the Essential Services Act 1981
  • Vehicle repair and mechanical services
  • Roadside assistance services
  • National Heavy Vehicle Regulator compliance activities
  • Certain essential government or local government services
  • Consular and diplomatic services
  • Australian Border Force and Commonwealth law enforcement
  • Journalist and media services
  • Factories or facilities that are not able to be shut down without causing damage or loss to plant and equipment
  • Organisations that provide urgent services for the health and safety of any person, animal or premises. This may include activities such as emergency plumbing, animal shelters or food banks
  • Public transport, taxis, air transport and freight services
  • Essential health services, including blood banks
  • Care services for disability, illness, age and infirmity
  • Childcare, early childhood education and primary and secondary schooling
  • Hotel or motel accommodation
  • Truck stops and roadhouses
  • Production and distribution of food and groceries, liquor, medical and pharmaceutical supplies
  • Primary industries

The above activities do not require a COVID Safe Plan.

You can find the latest COVID-19 Emergency Management Directions by visiting www.sa.gov.au/covid-19.

Temporary but necessary measures

These temporary measures are based on expert health advice.

If the current cluster of COVID-19 can now be contained quickly through rapid contact tracing and the immediate isolation of all positive and suspected cases, these measures may be able to be eased again soon.

It is important that all South Australians understand that these measures are critical to give South Australia the best possible chance to stop this cluster now.

As examples from interstate and overseas have clearly shown us, there is no second chance to stop a second wave. We must stop the spread now, before it spirals out of control and puts many South Australian lives and livelihoods at risk.

These measures were not taken lightly, and the Government of South Australia is hopeful that they can be eased again soon if we all do our part in stopping the spread.

We thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

For further information and resources

Visit the following websites for more information.

www.covid-19.sa.gov.au for the latest official health advice, news and information on current COVID-19 restrictions, support packages and the State’s Roadmap to Recovery.

www.health.gov.au or www.sahealth.sa.gov.au for detailed health advice and guidance on health and infection control measures, including factsheets on COVID-safe cleaning.

www.openyourworld.sa.gov.au for advice and resources on how to promote wellbeing.

You can also call the dedicated SA information line on 1800 253 787.

16 November

URGENT NOTICE – all indoor and outdoor sports fixtures and training are cancelled.

Archery is “out of action” for at least two weeks as a result of the Parafield cluster announcement Monday, 16 November.

  • Get tested if you feel unwell or show symptoms
  • Work from home where possible
  • Encourage vulnerable people to stay at home
  • Avoid having visitors at home
  • Avoid unnecessary travel
  • Wear a mask where it is not possible to physically distance, for example on public transport

For full details of the latest restrictions, click here.

29 June (updated 29 July)

There is no cap or limit on archery events, however density requirements and physical distancing principles still apply to all defined public activities (including sport). Limits also still apply for numbers in indoor areas. BBQs/sausage sizzles can be provided by Clubs, but the food must be served by designated servers (i.e. there is no self-serve option – that would be considered as communal food provision, which is prohibited). A COVID-Safe Plan must be prepared and publicly available at the venue.

Indoor meetings (e.g. Club meetings or Annual General Meetings) are subject to the 1 person per 2 square metres rule. The size of the room/venue will determine the capacity. Contact tracing records for those meetings must be kept.

Click here for further information.

1 June

A further update to Directions takes effect today.

For non-contact sport competition, groups of up to 20 can participate (more than one group of 20 can be on the same area, so long as those groups are adequately separated). Indoor sport can also resume. Physical distancing still applies.

Clubrooms can be re-opened provided a COVID-Safe Plan (see the link in FAQs below) is developed and publicly available at the Club.

The 1.5 m physical distancing still applies along with the 4 sq m requirement. Any alcohol and meals purchased can only be consumed by patrons while seated at tables. Tables are required to be at least 1.5 m apart.

Change/shower rooms are to remain closed. Toilets within the Club facility can be made available.

The use of shared features like billiard tables and dart boards are still prohibited.

A maximum of 80 people per (indoors or outdoors) venue, with a maximum of 20 per room.

For further information, see the Emergency Management (Public Activities)(COVID-19) Direction, 2020 and FAQs about the Latest Direction.


22 May

On 22 May, the COVID-19 Directions in South Australia were updated. See https://www.covid-19.sa.gov.au/emergency-declarations/business-closures. This page has a link to the actual direction, signed by the Commissioner of Police, as the Emergency Management Co-ordinator. Currently the most recent update is “Non-essential business and other gatherings (No 7) – 22 May, 2020.”  There are no changes from those in Direction No 5 (see below),  which affect Archery.

15 May (from the President, ARCHERY SA)

On 11 May, the COVID-19 Directions in South Australia were updated. See https://www.covid-19.sa.gov.au/emergency-declarations/business-closures. This page has a link to the actual direction, signed by the commissioner of police. Currently the most recent update is “Non-essential business and other gatherings (No 5) – 11 May, 2020.”  There are only a few changes which may affect Archery.

  • Multiple groups of up to 10 participants are now allowed at a venue provided there is “adequate” separation between groups, the overall density of 1 person per 4 square meters and separation of 1.5m is maintained.
  • Up to one caregiver per participant is allowed. The caregiver counts for the density requirement of 1 person per 4 square meters but does not count towards the maximum of 10 participants.

ARCHERY SA has reviewed the Archery Australia guidelines and, in consultation with AA and taking into account the recent direction from the Commissioner of Police,  has decided on the following recommendations:

  • The responsibility lies with individual archery Clubs and their members to ensure that they are fully aware of and compliant with their own State Government legislation & Federal Government legislation
  • Only outdoor Club activity can operate; no indoor archery activities are currently permitted
  • A maximum of 10 people permitted in Club rooms (having regard to the 4 sq m requirement). No food or beverage to be provided or use of change rooms (except toilet facilities)
  • Hand sanitiser should be made available at each Club
  • Archers should practice safe hygiene at all times, including washing hands for at least 20 seconds before and after any archery activity
  • A maximum of 10 participants are permitted per group. There may be multiple groups. Clubs must determine how many groups they can support and how they will enforce separation between groups. Possibilities include cone markers, bunting or sufficient physical distance to preclude accidental mingling . Booking systems may need to be in place to restrict numbers
  • There may be up to one caregiver per participant
  • There is a density limit of of 1 person per 4 square metres in a venue
  • Archery equipment held or worn cannot be shared between archers
  • Up to two archers may shoot on the same buttress provided 1.5 m separation is maintained. Archers must only pull their own arrows and must take turns so that separation is maintained while pulling arrows
  • Field archery is permitted with a maximum of two per group, provided 1.5 m separation can be maintained while shooting and traversing between targets
  • No archery tournaments, QREs or planned events are currently permitted (excluding online shooting competitions).

Clubs are responsible for assessing their venue and may need additional restrictions to enable compliance with the overarching restriction of 1 person per 4 square metres and a separation distance of 1.5 metres. Clubs must educate their members as to their rules and monitor compliance.

Looking forward, there is a road map for easing COVID-19 restrictions. Note that this is a roadmap, and we will have to wait for the actual directions to be issued by the Commissioner of Police before we know exactly what will be enabled, and when.

However, from 8 June we can look forward to increasing the participant group size to 20 and restarting  indoor archery. Clubs can start planning on that basis. It seems likely that the 1.5 m minimum separation will continue. The roadmap also indicates a transition to competition without spectators from the 8 June, but it is not clear if that is practical with the restrictions which will still be in place.


6 May (from the President, ARCHERY SA)

There seems to be some uncertainty as to what is currently allowed regarding archery activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, which seems to have been exacerbated by the recently issued AIS Framework for Rebooting Sport in a COVID-19 Environment (National Framework for return of Sport and Recreation). That document should be viewed as a roadmap, and not an authority as to what is currently allowed, or not.

ARCHERY SA endorses the recent COVID-19 Guidelines from Archery Australia (Newsletter 2020-3) and does not impose any additional restrictions.

  • The responsibility lies with individual Archery Club and members to ensure that they are fully aware of and compliant with their own State Government legislation, Federal Government Legislation and any RGB advice
  • Only outdoor Club activity can operate; no indoor archery activities are currently permitted
  • Hand sanitiser should be made available at each Club
  • Archers should practice safe hygiene at all times, including washing hands for at least 20 seconds before and after any archery activity
  • State legislation on the maximum persons allowed at the archery club at any one time must be followed at all times. Booking systems may need to be in place for this to happen to restrict social gatherings
  • Archery equipment cannot be shared between archers
  • One Archer Per Lane –unless a family are shooting who live at the same address
  • It is recommended that only every second lane is opened/in use to help maintain physical distances of 1.5 metres
  • No field archery is currently permitted unless in groups of one archer per target
  • No archery tournaments, QREs or planned events are currently permitted (excluding online shooting competitions).

The definitive source for legally enforceable COVID-19 Directions in South Australia is https://www.covid-19.sa.gov.au/emergency-declarations/business-closures. This page has a link to the actual direction, signed by the Commissioner of Police. Currently the most recent update is “Non-essential business and other gatherings (No 4) – 17 April 2020.” While South Australia’s lock-down provisions were never as onerous as some other States, there has been no relaxation in SA since 17 April.

Generally, the direction is that non-essential activities are banned except for various exemptions. The most notable exemption with respect to Archery is 5(i), which permits:

  • outdoor sporting and recreational venues, such as golf courses, tennis courts and playing fields where the total number of persons participating in an activity does not exceed 10 people and provided that the density requirement is complied with.

The density requirement is 1 person per 4 square meters. Currently there is NO exemption for indoor sporting activities.

As always, this may change at short notice.


30 April (further advice from Archery Australia)

Archery Australia will continue to follow the Australian Government guidelines relating to COVID-19, but we also understand that we operate in a federated structure. As such, we acknowledge that there are differing levels of restrictions being set by each of the State Governments. Therefore, we will be working with individual Recognised Governing Bodies (RGBs) based on their respective State restrictions.

If your state permits, you may resume limited practice, so long as all health and government requirements are met at all times.  Read more>


25 March (update from Archery Australia)

All Organised Sporting Events and Activities to Cease:

With the updated Government Guidelines around COVID-19 announced last night (Click Here), the Australian Federal Government has advised that from midnight tonight (25th March 2020) all organised sporting events and social sporting activities must cease, including all forms of social archery activities.

25 March

Police Commissioner Stevens has made a direction under the Emergency Management Act 2004 Please read carefully. I have underlined the salient points.

Below is an extract from the direction. To see the link to the release please CLICK HERE

To reduce the spread of COVID-19 within South Australia, a number of businesses and venues are required to remain closed to the public until further notice.

Acting on the advice of SA Health specialists, the State Coordinator, Commissioner Stevens has made a direction under the Emergency Management Act 2004.

This direction places restrictions on non-essential business and social gatherings and is now in force.

The following are required to remain closed to the public until further notice:

  • licensed hotels, bars and clubs (including nightclubs), including any premises operated under the following:
    • general and hotel licences;
    • on premises licences;
    • club licences;
    • production and sales licences
  • buildings used by social and sporting clubs
  • gymnasiums
  • indoor sporting venues
  • cinemas, function centre or entertainment venues of any kind
  • theatres and other places where live performances occur
  • casinos
  • restaurants and cafés
  • places of worship
  • any venue to the extent that it hosts a weddings or conducts funerals
  • outdoor spaces associated with the above venues

In this direction, a member of the public includes the members of any club or association that owns; controls; or operates defined premises.

It seems without doubt that sporting clubs and the outdoor spaces associated with them must close to members of the public.