Coronavirus Australia: Police investigate Maroubra, Sydney, Covid superspreading party

Police admit they have NO IDEA how many people went to an illegal party in Sydney’s eastern suburbs which spawned nearly 100 Covid cases

• Health authorities have no idea how many people attended a Maroubra party
• The illegal gathering took place on August 14, spawning 87 infections in Sydney
• It comes as NSW Police hand nine PINs in relation to a Malabar Heads rave
• Police are continuing investigations into potential links between the gatherings 

By Sam McPhee and Tom Sargeant For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 14:39 BST, 2 September 2021 | Updated: 14:39 BST, 2 September 2021

Health authorities say they still have no idea how many people went to an illegal party in Sydney’s eastern suburbs last month, with nearly 100 people thought to have since become infected with Covid.

Police are investigating any potential links between the Maroubra house party which took place on August 14 and an illegal rave on the Malabar Headland on July 23.

New South Wales Police confirmed on Wednesday evening they have handed out nine $1,000 infringement notices as part of their investigations into a number of raves in the Maroubra area.

Health authorities are unsure how many people attended an illegal party in Maroubra on August 14 (pictured, mates at Maroubra in July)

The penalties were handed out to men aged between 18 and 24 in attendance at the gathering on the Malabar Headland on Friday July 23, with further punishments expected to be handed out to others. 

The latest illegal house party, which was said to be attended by up to 60 people has resulted in 87 infections across Sydney and the city’s eastern suburbs, with several businesses being closed as a result of exposure. 

20 of those in attendance were said to be infected, and the remaining 67 cases were close contacts stemming from the party.

Among those infected who were in attendance were people from western Sydney who had illegally travelled beyond their 10km limit. 

‘Contact tracing and further testing is underway. The Public Health Unit has not been able to ascertain the exact number of people who attended the gathering,’ the spokesperson for the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District said.

The house party has spawned 87 new Covid infections, as 20 people who attended the rave were said to infected while in attendance (pictured, police at Maroubra beach)

Five days after the party, officials were made aware a construction worker at Moore Park Stadium had tested positive, with authorities believing he came in contact with an infected partygoer.

He was said to have worked for several days while infectious.

Contract tracers identified two more positive cases before the site was closed for thorough cleaning. 

A resident around the corner from the infamous Maroubra party said that most people were doing the right thing.

Penalties were handed out to men aged between 18 and 24 in attendance at a gathering on the Malabar headland on Friday July 23 (pictured: party on the headland last year)

Pictured: Party being held on Malabar headland last year. In 2021 it has been the scene of several illegal parties with police handing out several fines

‘They’ve ruined it for everyone, people aren’t impressed by it,’ the resident told the Sydney Morning Herald.

NSW Police have been investigating the party as well as a series of other gatherings around the area, leading to the fines being handed out on Wednesday.

‘Following inquiries, police issued $1000 PINs to nine men – aged 24, 22, 20, three aged 19 and three aged 18 – earlier today (Wednesday 1 September 2021) in relation to the Malabar Headland party in July,’ a police spokesperson said.

‘Investigations into the August gatherings at Maroubra are continuing, which includes determining whether there are any links between the Malabar and Maroubra parties.’  

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