There won’t be any lockdown cuddles for Magpies coach Nathan Buckley after his girlfriend Alex Pike jumped across the border ahead of Victoria’s Covid lockdown.
The cosmetic nurse, 44, fled Melbourne just before the seven-day statewide came into effect at midnight on Thursday, and is now staying at her home in Albury, New South Wales.
She shared several posts on Instagram on Friday after arriving in NSW, and joked that she had to get out of Victoria quickly before Gladys Berejiklian ‘locked me out’.
Separated: There won’t be any lockdown cuddles for AFL coach Nathan Buckley (left) after his girlfriend Alex Pike (right) jumped across the border ahead of Victoria’s Covid lockdown
Alex posted a photo of her kitchen and living area in her house in Albury, as well as a video of one of her sons getting ready for school.
She then uploaded a screenshot of a text message exchange with a friend, who asked her: ‘You’re in Albury?’
The mother of three replied: ‘I had to leave before Gladys locked me out.’
Albury is major regional city on the border of New South Wales and Victoria with a population of 93,603, as of the 2018 census.
Made it! She shared several posts on Instagram on Friday after arriving in NSW, and joked that she had to get out of Victoria quickly before Gladys Berejiklian ‘locked me out’
Border crossing: She uploaded a screenshot of a text message exchange with a friend, who asked her: ‘You’re in Albury?’ Alex replied: ‘I had to leave before Gladys locked me out.’
Home sweet home: Alex posted a photo of her kitchen and living area in her house in Albury (left), as well as a video of one of her sons getting ready for school (right)
Downcast: As Alex settled into life across the border, Collingwood great Nathan, 48, looked a little glum as he went out for a stroll in locked-down Melbourne
As Alex settled into life across the border, Collingwood great Nathan, 48, looked a little glum as he went out for a stroll in locked-down Melbourne.
Wearing a face mask, navy shorts and a blue hoodie, he was spotted running errands and picking up a take-away coffee from a café.
The entire state of Victoria has been plunged into yet another coronavirus lockdown due to a growing cluster of cases, with seven million people placed under week-long stay-at-home orders.
The number of active cases in the state rose to 39 on Friday, with another five sites – including an inner-city pub and a suburban sports bar – added to the list of locations at a high risk of being exposed to Covid-19.
Outing: Wearing a face mask, navy shorts and a blue hoodie, he was spotted running errands
Caffeine fix: He picked up a take-away coffee from a café
Man of the people: Nathan seemed to be in a gregarious mood as he chatted to the café owner
Crisis: Victoria has been plunged into yet another Covid lockdown due to a growing cluster of cases, with seven million people placed under week-long stay-at-home orders
Alex and Nathan, who have known each other since at least the start of the year, were pictured together for the first time on Wednesday.
The romance between the new couple is said to be ‘effortless’.
‘They are happy. It’s all good. It’s just very easy and comfortable really. They have a genuine connection,’ a friend of the couple told the Herald Sun last week.
The source added that Alex isn’t after fame, and isn’t ‘daunted’ by the attention that comes with being a WAG either.
‘They are just into normal stuff, yoga, natural health, keeping fit and staying positive,’ they said.
Alex is a mother of three based in South Yarra, just outside Melbourne’s CBD, but also has a home in Albury.
The pair’s relationship emerged just weeks after the champion midfielder announced his split from his wife of 18 years, Tania Minnici, last December.