At a regional press conference on Wednesday, Deputy Police Commissioner Michael Willing confirmed 13 arrests and 48 infringement notices were issued related to the protests in the Southern Police District.

Mr Barilaro said while he is confident the Riverina and other areas with zero Covid cases are looking good to come out of lockdown on September 10, the lockdown protests that occurred on Tuesday could put the entire timeline in jeopardy.

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"There is light at the end of the tunnel for regional and rural NSW for areas with no cases, I am quietly confident that on a regional perspective there is an opportunity to come out of lockdown on September 10 but what [protestors] did yesterday, risks all of that," he said.

"A gathering of many people, hundreds of people can become a quick and moving feast and can become a seeding event so, the very thing they're fighting for, which is freedom, they're putting at risk.

"It's selfish, it's self-indulgent and I'm glad there have been hundreds of penalties and I know the police will penalise anyone who attended that they can get their hands on."

He added: "I don't support it and it's about time some of these people pull their heads in because they are risking the better good of us coming out of lockdown.

Deputy Commissioner Willing agreed saying, "Now is not the time to be engaging in those sorts of protests or gatherings because of the risk that they pose."

Temora detection not necessarily community case

Meanwhile, the Deputy Premier said a second detection of fragments of Covid-19 in sewage surveillance in Temora, just days after the virus was detected over the weekend, is concerning but not confirmation of an undetected positive case in the community, nor likely to impact the lockdown end date for the region.

"In certain regions like the Riverina and the MLHD and places like Temora, you are a community that has a lot of movement with people passing through and freight," he said.

He added: "The reality is [sewage surveillance] is a good predictor, but it could be someone passing through. You [need to] take into account, why would Temora have a case? Is there a close cluster? Or, is it most likely movement and in [this] case you could say it's most likely movement but you can't rule [community infection] out."

He continued to advise all residents to come forward for testing even with the mildest of symptoms.

He also said when it comes to deciding where restrictions will be eased on September 10, the most important factors considered will be active cases in the community and proximity to large clusters, with sewage surveillance considered a less important but still-relevant factor.

Meanwhile the MLHD's Emma Field has called the Temora detection "concerning" and indicated some Covid activity in the area.

"That is the second detection now and that tells us there is something going on in that Temora area so really encouraging the town to come forward for testing," she said.

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