Likewise, indulging in a hookah, or water-pipe, while dining at Fairy Meadow’s Al Aseel restaurant will be banned and – for non-smokers – the days of breathing in someone else’s fumes while having an alfresco breakfast are over.

The NSW government’s new anti-smoking measures, which ban smoking in outdoor dining areas or within four metres of the entrance to a club, hotel or restaurant in NSW, are officially in force.

Under the new laws, smokers will be required to butt out or cop a $300 fine.

Businesses will also have to make sure their patrons comply; penalties of up to $5500 may apply to those who allow smoking in an alfresco dining area.

The bans - which ban cigarettes, pipes and water-pipes - add to legislation introduced 18 months ago which bans smoking within four metres of an entry or exit to public buildings like shopping centres, schools and cinemas.

They also further shore up Wollongong City Council’s smoking ban, which is supposed to apply to Crown Street Mall and the surrounding areas but is rarely enforced.

Under the new state rules, designated smoking areas will still be allowed at licensed premises, but must be four metres away from seated dining areas or entrances.

This has prompted several Illawarra clubs to lodge new development applications in recent months, as they mark out new segregated smoking areas in their premises.

The Heart Foundation’s NSW chief executive, Kerry Doyle,  welcomed the “positive legislative reform”, as she said evidence showed a non-smoker’s exposure to second-hand smoke could result in a 30per cent increase in their risk of heart disease.

“We are thrilled that smoking has been stubbed out in outdoor dining areas from [Monday] as there is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke,” Ms Doyle said.

 “It’s a breath of fresh air to know our campaigning is paying off.”