People hoping to apply for a permit, including those in Echuca-Moama, had to wait until 7.30 pm — just hours before the midnight bridge closure — to submit an application.
Within minutes the system buckled under the pressure of thousands of border town residents, essential workers and returning NSW residents who needed to cross the border the next morning.
“Sorry, we were unable to process your request,” the message said.
By 9 pm some people were successfully receiving permits, but it wasn’t until the next day, on Wednesday, that the site started running smoothly despite the demand.
“The permit application system is experiencing high levels of demand. You may experience delays in securing a permit,” the website said.
“You can still demonstrate your eligibility to cross the border to police by carrying relevant documentation based on your ”exemption category.
The Riverine Herald Facebook post which said the site was live was flooded with comments from people saying it had crashed.
A spokesperson for Service NSW said the system was now working.
“The Service NSW permit application system is live and experiencing high levels of demand,” the spokesperson said.
“We are aware some people have experienced delays in securing a permit and we apologise for the delay. In the interim, travellers will be able to demonstrate their eligibility to cross the border to police by carrying relevant documentation based on a category of exemption.”
More local news
Local organisations ready to help with exemptions
Police to use drones to catch swimmers and bush bashers trying to sneak across border
Barmah bridge chaos as NSW closes its borders
20°C