The Remarkable Woman Founder Shivani Gopal says the opening of Australian interstate borders will bear “huge economic impact” on the nation considering the closure between New South Wales and Melbourne alone cost the country $1.2 billion.

Australia is almost completely open to interstate travel after Western Australia – which maintained the country’s longest border closure – opened its hard border to Victoria and New South Wales on Tuesday at midnight after being shut for eight months.

Travellers to Western Australia from South Australia are still required to complete 14 days of quarantine upon entering the state, however Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan said the mandatory quarantine upon arrival may be lifted on Thursday.

“The border closure between NSW and Melbourne alone was costing the economy 1.2 billion, so it’s a huge economic impact and that has a massive ripple effect across everything, not just aviation industry.”

Ms Gopal says the open borders will positively affect business owners around the borders, people wanting to see their families and would encourage people to spend money in their local communities.