The Queensland premier has told residents in NSW to return home while they still can, warning Sydney's coronavirus crisis could force her to close the border with little notice.
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Annastacia Palaszczuk has opted to keep the border open - for now.
But she's been direct with residents who are south of the border, saying she's dealing with a volatile situation that could see Queenslanders shut out if the virus spreads from Greater Sydney into regional NSW.
Sydney residents have been told there's next to no chance their lockdown will end as scheduled on Friday.
The state had 112 new local COVID-19 cases on Monday - the highest number since the current outbreak began. At least 46 of those cases were out in the community while they were infectious.
Ms Palaszczuk says she will do what's necessary to keep Queenslanders safe and there are extensive discussions every day with health authorities in NSW.
"My message to Queenslanders is if you are in those areas, come home. I can't be any clearer," she said on Monday.
Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said any spread of the virus outside the Greater Sydney lockdown area would be extremely worrying.
As the NSW situation worsens, Queenslanders are preparing for an easing of restrictions that were introduced last month after simultaneous clusters emerged.
From 6am on Friday, masks will no longer be mandatory in the general community but will still have to be worn at airports and on planes.
Cafes and restaurants will be able to take in more patrons, dancing at nightclubs will return, and there'll be no restrictions on visits to hospitals and aged-care homes.
Queensland's optimism that it has killed off community transmission has seen the state welcomed back into the trans-Tasman bubble.
"The health risk from Queensland is now low," NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said as she announced quarantine-free travel from Queensland would resume at 11.59pm no Monday.
Meanwhile the Queensland premier has defended a deal that will allow the NRL to move 12 clubs to southeast Queensland for the next two months, so the competition can continue.
The agreement will allow players to bring their families with them, something Ms Palaszczuk said would not pose a risk because the clubs will have exclusive use of three hotels.
"They will be in their distinct hubs. It's up to the NRL to police that, but we'll be monitoring that very closely as well," the premier said.
Queensland has also snagged the third State of Origin match from Newcastle due to NSW's ongoing health crisis.
Ms Palaszczuk said the game didn't cost Queensland taxpayers a cent, but Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate has said the council had "skin in the game" to secure the match but did not say how much.
He hopes it will provide a boost for hotels and hospitality venues hit by a snap, three-day lockdown just as school holidays began a fortnight ago.
Queensland is expecting a quiet day or so ahead on the vaccination front, with Health Minister Yvette D'Ath saying the state has very limited stocks, and they're being reserved for people who need second doses.
But 64,500 doses are due to arrive on Tuesday, and 62,000 on Thursday, which should allow vaccination rates to ramp up again from Wednesday onwards.
Queensland recorded one new case of COVID-19 detected in hotel quarantine on Monday.
Australian Associated Press
