Australia welcomes back travellers with joy, tears, Vegemite as border reopens

Vaccinated travellers were greeted at Sydney’s airport by well-wishers waving toy koalas and iconic Australian foods such as Tim Tams biscuits and jars of Vegemite spread

As Australia enters a new phase of living with the virus, the number of arrivals from China will offer an insight into the state of ties between both nations

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A man hugs his granddaughter at Sydney International Airport on February 21, 2022. Photo: AFP

Published: 10:41am, 21 Feb 2022Updated: 3:47pm, 21 Feb 2022

International tourists and business travellers on Monday began arriving in Australia with few restrictions for the first time in almost two years, after the government lifted some of the strictest pandemic measures of any democracy in the world.

Vaccinated travellers were greeted at Sydney’s airport by jubilant well-wishers waving toy koalas and favourite Australian foods, including Tim Tams chocolate biscuits and jars of Vegemite spread.

Bernie Edmonds was emotional as he hugged his eight-year-old granddaughter, Charlotte, who had just landed in Sydney. “It’s great to have her back,” he said. “She’s got to go again, but we’ll get her back again.”

Staff offer flowers to passengers upon their arrival at Sydney International Airport. Photo: AFP

Fellow Sydneysider Jody Tuchin was excited to pick up her best friend, who she had not seen since 2018. “He made it back just in time for my wedding in four days,” she said.

For British banker Roger Smyth, Australia’s border reopening couldn’t come soon enough. After landing at Sydney Airport, he embraced his girlfriend Danni Wang for the first time in three months – the pair now plan to marry during Smyth’s week-long visit.

“I tried every day to get here,” says Smyth, who met Wang in Tokyo before she moved to Australia to study. “We tried to make it on Valentine’s Day, I applied for an exception but I got declined.”

Cindy Moss travelled from the US state of Kentucky to see her daughter.