Today sees the end of Metropolitan Melbourne’s COVID curfew with other restrictions easing and further rules expected to change faster than was previously thought. Yes, there’s still a way to go yet, but we want to send a massive thank you to everyone in Victoria for continuing to do all of Australia proud.
At 5:00 am this morning (September 28) the curfew that has been in place in Melbourne since early August was finally lifted.
Bear in mind that this is the first time EVER that anywhere in Australia has endured a curfew and you’ll understand the huge significance of what this means.
While there is still a long list of rules in place including staying at home and not leaving your 5 km bubble, there are some restrictions that have been lifted in Melbourne to start to bring some feeling of normality back.
Regional Victoria is already living under the third step of the roadmap, which allows Victorians to travel again and hospitality businesses to reopen.
Cases are dropping hugely, the daily case average is so much better than expected. Already, Spring has brought the green shoots everyone needed to see.
And in an important step, Victorian premier Daniel Andrews has said the state would now base its decisions about public health restrictions on case numbers, rather than aspirational dates.
Even more of an incentive to stay with it.
Step three of Melbourne’s roadmap was initially pencilled in for October 26. But because Victoria’s coronavirus cases are improving faster than anticipated, the state could take its next step towards lifting restrictions as early as October 19, with an aim for a “COVID-normal Christmas”, Mr Andrews says.
If you live in Victoria and especially Melbourne, you naturally, already know all of this.
There has been so much written about the situation and of the hardship that continues to be endured by everyone affected.
These are the strangest of days in our history and will continue to be for a while yet.
You might think that writing this while not living in Victoria makes it easy for us to pay lip service and roll out platitudes to ‘hang in there’, ‘stay strong’ and offer up advice such as ‘you’ve got this!’ etc.
It is difficult to grasp the reality of it all second hand outside of living it, but I know that I speak for so many when I say that we so are thankful and proud of you for what you have achieved through your own personal sacrifice.
The fact is that last weeks border lifting announcements would not have happened without your collective commitment to help get case numbers down in Victoria.
Nor would today’s news of the Trans-Tasman bubble starting, reportedly now within weeks. That’s an incredible step forward from where we were just weeks ago.
Already, you have played such a massive part in getting the country to reopen, and for us all in the travel industry – to start moving again.
And it won’t be long now before we’re all moving again and reuniting Australia once more.
So to everyone working in the travel industry in Victoria and within Metropolitan Melbourne, we think you’re amazing.
Thank you.
READ: A Love Letter To Melbourne: We Are Here For You, Together In Travel