The island state's south, including Hobart, entered lockdown on October 15 after Timothy Andrew Gunn, 31, returned a positive result having spent time in the community.

He had been directed to quarantine at Hobart's Travelodge hotel for two weeks when he landed several days earlier on a flight from Melbourne. Gunn on Monday pleaded guilty in Hobart Magistrates Court to failing to comply with the lawful direction of an emergency management worker and knowingly providing false or misleading information.

Gunn told emergency staff he had been in Queensland in the 14 days before arriving in Hobart when he had in fact spent time in NSW, one of the states on Tasmania's banned list at that time.

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His positive test prompted the state government to enforce restrictions across the south and a mask mandate that lasted about a week.

Authorities said that no COVID-19 cases ended up being linked to Gunn.

He also pleaded guilty to more than a dozen charges of breaching a nationally recognised domestic violence order, plus a drug-related offence.

In October, Gunn apologised for his behaviour during a Channel 7 interview, claiming that he did not escape quarantine but simply "walked out".

Gunn was remanded in custody to reappear on December 21, when he is due to be sentenced.

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