The government is growing increasingly concerned with developments in Syria, with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade raising its travel advisory to "reconsider your need to travel".
Earlier on Friday, Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's government said it might scrap an emergency law in place since 1963 and announced the release of all activists detained this month, following a week of deadly protests in the south.
Syria, the latest Middle Eastern country to witness an uprising against a long-running autocratic regime, has been hit by unprecedented protests demanding major change after almost five decades of rule by the Ba'ath party.
"We advise you to reconsider your need to travel to Syria at this time because of the risk of violent protests, high threat of terrorist attack and unpredictable security environment in the region," the department said.
