Bronte beach party: Backpackers partying while breaching coronavirus restrictions can face deportation

Australia says it could oust hikers who floutedcoronavirusrules after hundreds were seen celebrating at a Sydney seashore on Christmas Day.

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said the Government was "shocked" at what he saw at Bronte Beach when a crowd breached social distancing and other rules imposed due to a virus outbreak in Sydney's north.

"We were quite shocked to see people who have been here a while now, who've seen the situation around the world, who understand the state of the world and what we're in, breaching public health orders when we have an outbreak in Sydney

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Video of a party of hundreds of revellers held on the Bronte beach's shoreon Christmas Day was shared widely over the weekend.

Some are believed to be backpackers who remained in Australia during the coronavirus pandemic or expatriates mostly from the UK.

A cluster detected in Sydney's northern beachside suburbs in mid-December has now grown to 129 cases and about a quarter of a million residents have been put under lockdown until January9 as authorities battle to stamp out the virus.

Sydney,Australia's largest city, has scaled back its New Year's Eve celebrations by banning large gatherings outdoors to watch its popular fireworks display, and urged people to stay home and watch the event on television.

Only residents with permits for hospitality venues will be allowed into the city on New Year's Eve and households across Sydney are only allowed to host 10 people. Outdoor gatherings are limited to 50 people.