Queenslanders hit the waterways and public spaces on the first day of relaxed restrictions, with residents able to picnic or visit national parks for the first time in weeks.

Queenslanders have taken to waterways and public spaces, as the first day of relaxed restrictions allows residents to picnic or visit national parks for the first time in weeks.
The new rules still rely on practising social distancing and hygiene.
Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles said the first day of relaxed rules was a test.
“Today is the first day of an experiment for Queenslanders, to see whether when more of us move around, we can continue to suppress the spread of COVID-19,” he said.
“What I’ve seen so far is that Queenslanders are doing a great job of maintaining their distance, of complying with all of those rules.”
Queensland COVID-19 snapshot

• Confirmed cases so far: 1,034
• Deaths: 6
• Patients tested: 113,601

Latest information from Queensland Health.
Only one new case of COVID-19 was confirmed overnight, and a related public health warning was issued for flight QF614 from Melbourne to Brisbane on April 22.
“This was a returned traveller, returned from overseas and related to one of the known cruise ships, one of the cruise ships where we know that COVID-19 was circulating,” Mr Miles said.
“We have just 63 cases remaining active across the state, which is a fantastic result.”
Ten patients are in Queensland hospitals, four in intensive care, while 965 people have recovered.
Queensland has had 1,034 confirmed cases.
Coronavirus update: Follow the latest news in our daily wrap.
‘It’s over to Queenslanders’
Mr Miles said from what he had seen on Saturday morning, Queenslanders were complying with the rules.
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“It’ll take us two weeks to see what the impact of changes we make this weekend are, and if we don’t see growth in our figures, that’s fantastic and we’ll be able to consider further relaxations,” he said.
“If we do see numbers increase, well then we’ll need to consider whether this easing can stay in place so really, it’s over to Queenslanders.
“If we don’t mess this up, then we’ll be able to get more of our freedoms back.”
Senior Sergeant Don Dunstan, from the Fortitude Valley Police Station, was at New Farm Park in inner-city Brisbane, with mounted police and officers on bikes on patrol.
“Generally, people are very compliant, they’re sticking to their social distancing, they’re staying in their immediate family groups or just their two people,” he said.
“It’s a beautiful day for it and they’re enjoying it.
“We’re not here in an obtrusive way we’re here to help the community, we’re here to reassure the community and try and ensure the relaxations that have been put in place work.”
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‘Just happy to be out’
On the Gold Coast, Alexis Butson said she and her friend Prue Chuenchom were “just happy to be out” in the sunshine relaxing on the beach at Burleigh.
“Finally, it is good to be out of the house,” Ms Butson said.
“It’s the best thing to do when you live here go to the beach.
“It is good weather today to get a tan, so just making the most of it before winter.”
(LtoR) Prue Chuenchom and Alexis Butson sunbaking at Burleigh.(ABC News: Jennifer Huxley)
Bella Harlow celebrated her 25th birthday with a picnic with her husband at Burleigh.
“It’s nice to be able to leave the house,” she said.
“It is perfect timing that I am allowed to leave the house on my birthday.
“I’m having a quick picnic with my husband, Luke, and heading home to chill out.”
Bella Harlow and her husband enjoy a picnic at Burleigh.(ABC News: Jennifer Huxley)
Ben Thomson took his boat out at The Spit this morning.
“Just came in it is too windy so it wasn’t too nice out there,” he said.
“It’s nice to be able to go out and have a fish, but didn’t catch anything.
“It has been a bit hard but it is nice now. Hopefully in a couple of weeks now we can get a bit more.”
Ben Thomson took his boat out on the Gold Coast this morning.(ABC News: Jennifer Huxley)
Dirk Dorren braved the cold wind to ride his jet ski at The Spit.
“The weather is not the most amazing it is a bit cold today, but it is really good to get out there and not worry about the police or anything like that,” he said.
“As soon as I heard the news, I was like, ‘yep, got to get out there no matter what’, so I got on and it is a little bit windy, but that’s all right.”
Jet skier Dirk Dorren took some time out on the water.(ABC News: Jennifer Huxley)
In Bundaberg, families enjoyed the sunshine with picnics and self-guided tours at Splitters Farm.
Farm owner Carly Clark said it had been very popular.
“The lifting of restrictions around picnics has meant we can allow people out on our beautiful grounds again,” Ms Clark said.
“We sold more picnics today then we have in the past I think everyone’s suffering with cabin fever so getting out in the fresh air and sunshine is definitely needed.”
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She said visitors were being given hand sanitiser on arrival and informed of social-distancing rules.
Bundaberg mum Amber-Lee Lederhose said they were enjoying being outside having a picnic.
“This is such a nice spot we’ve never been here before and it’s so nice to get out of the house,” Ms Lederhose said.
Amber-Lee Lederhose with her family having a picnic at Splitter’s Farm .(ABC News: Johanna Marie)
Isolation fitness campaign
The Queensland Government also used the first day under the new restrictions to launch an isolation fitness campaign.
Sport Minister Mick de Brenni said Queenslanders had paid serious attention to looking after their health “in iso”.
“We’ve never seen so many people out walking, running, going as families, riding their bikes,” Mr de Brenni said.
“We’ve seen people taking their time to cook healthy meals at home.”
The campaign will pose physical challenges from Queensland athletes like boxer Jeff Horn, swimmer Susie O’Neill and netballer Gretel Beuta.
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