"We don’t really know, there's a lot of uncertainty and a lot of anxiety."
Thousands of dollars out of pocket from booking last-minute accommodation in Culburra Beach on the NSW south coast, Mr Reiss said the indefinite wait for an exemption was "hugely stressful" – mentally and financially.
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They have found a few days' relief at a friend's home in Jindabyne but will soon need to find somewhere else to stay.
"There’s only so many places you can book at these huge Christmas period rates without running out of money," Mr Reiss said. "If that's what we have to do, we’ll be in the car with the cat."