Yesterday the Victorian Government announced lockdown restrictions will be lifted in regional Victoria from 11.59 pm on Thursday 9 September.
A summary of changes is outlined below. For a detailed overview of the restriction changes, see the Table of Restrictions or visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au.
Changes to restrictions
- The five reasons to leave home will be removed in regional Victoria, except for Greater Shepparton.
- There will be no limit on the distance regional Victorians can travel from home – other than restrictions on entry to metropolitan Melbourne.
- The Authorised Worker list will no longer apply in the regions, meaning most businesses and venues can reopen with capacity and density limits.
- Regional Victorians will return to the rule ‘if you can work from home, you should work from home’ but up to 25 per cent capacity of office workers may return, or up to 10 people, whichever is greater.
There remains a significant risk of Delta cases seeding from NSW or metropolitan Melbourne. Therefore:
- Restaurants and cafes can reopen for seated service with patron caps.
- Retail, hairdressing, entertainment venues and community facilities will also open with density limits and patron caps.
- Masks will continue to be required indoors and outdoors, including workplaces, unless an exception applies.
- While restrictions remain in metropolitan Melbourne, businesses that are open in regional Victoria – such as restaurants or beauty services – must check the IDs of everyone they serve.
- Funerals will be permitted for up to 20 people and weddings will be permitted for up to 10 people, plus those required to conduct the service. Stricter limits will be in place for weddings and funerals if people from Melbourne are in attendance.
- Regional schools will reopen for onsite learning for Prep to Grade 2 and Year 12 students. Remote learning will remain for all other levels. Onsite supervision at schools is available for vulnerable children and children of essential workers in all year levels, including for students from metropolitan Melbourne.
Checking IDs
As restrictions remain in metropolitan Melbourne, meaning residents of metropolitan Melbourne cannot travel more than 5km from their homes, businesses that are open in regional Victoria – such as restaurants or beauty services – must check the IDs of everyone they serve.
Metropolitan Melbourne postcodes list
Patron caps for hospitality venues
Venus can open for seated service only, with maximum of 20 outdoors and 10 indoors subject to density limits of 1 person per 4sqm.
Accommodation
Open to people who live in regional Victoria (excluding Greater Shepparton). Bookings are permitted for single households, intimate partners or single bubbles.
Alpine Resorts
All regional Victorians travelling to the Victorian Alpine Resorts are required to show evidence of a negative COVID test result within the previous 72 hours of travel. This is a condition of entry into the resorts. Children under 12 years are not included. Workers are highly recommended to take a COVID test prior to arrival at the resorts.
Tours & transport
Can operate with up to 20 people for outdoor tours. Indoor tours and tour transport remain closed.
For further information see the Table of Restrictions or visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au.
Support continues for regional Victorian businesses
The Victorian Government has announced cash grants for regional businesses most affected by the current lockdown will proceed next week, unaffected by yesterday’s announcement that restrictions in most areas outside of Melbourne will be lifted from Friday.
Full payment for the two weeks from 2-16 September – automatic deposits ranging from $5,600 to $40,000 – will go ahead, as had always been intended.
The Victorian Government will assess which sectors remain under severely impacted settings before making further announcements on arrangements for the two-week period from 17 September.
Read the full announcement here.
For full information on available business support grants, go to business.vic.gov.au or call 13 22 15.
