Mount Gambier and Port Lincoln residents react to new COVID-19 restrictions

Hundreds of kilometres removed from the Parafield COVID cluster, regional South Australians are divided by the reintroduction of restrictions.

South Australians in regional centres Mount Gambier and Port Lincoln are divided over the raft of new coronavirus restrictions introduced in response to the Adelaide outbreak.

Premier Steven Marshall announced the statewide response to the growing Parafield cluster on Monday in an attempt to prevent a second wave of COVID-19.

Gyms, recreation centres and play cafes have been forced to close, all competitive sport has been cancelled, masks are mandatory for beauty services while caps have for funerals, religious ceremonies and private gatherings.

But hundred of kilometres from the COVID-19 hotspot, regional South Australians are divided – while some praised the quick response others felt their businesses will be unnecessarily impacted.

GYMS

Just as Mount Gambier’s Tough Fit Gym started to gain momentum after an extended shutdown, the business has been forced to close its doors for a second time.

Owner Scott Thomas said he felt regional businesses had been unfairly targeted.

“It’s quite unexpected, I actually feel a little bit blindsided,” Mr Thomas said.

“We are very disappointed that our family-owned business is being forced to close in response to a COVID-19 outbreak occurring almost 450km away in metropolitan Adelaide.

Scott Thomas owner of Tough Fit Gym in Mount Gambier. Picture: Supplied by Tough Fit Gym

“To be heading into a second closure period is frustrating for us all, after working so diligently to do the right thing and keep our regional community COVID-free.

“There is that disconnect at times between city and regional and now suddenly when it’s suits, we’re all lumped in one basket and it just feel it doesn’t feel right.”

While disappointed, Mr Thomas said the business would follow all government guidelines to help stop the spread and hoped to get back to business as quickly as possible.

“Our gym is all about our people and we know they will be waiting for us just as soon as we can open the doors again. Let’s just hope we don’t have to wait too long,” he said.

Mr Scott also said news of the outbreak had hit hard in the cross-border community and left many not knowing where they stand despite Friday’s announcement that the SA-Victorian border would reopen by December 1.

EVENTS

With weddings and catered events also coping the brunt in the newly introduced restrictions, Justine Carey, owner of Port Lincoln’s ultimate celebrations said it’s all about adaptability through the uncharted waters of COVID-19 and it’s restrictions.

“We’ve just taken over party and balloons side of the business in the last six months,” Ms Carey said.

“You’ve just got to keep at it, for me when all the events stopped I had two months off with no work.

“I then took over the balloon business that way I could have some sort of income coming in by doing deliveries and because people weren’t having big parties they were able to send a message to someone or cheer someone up with just a balloon.”

With restrictions going into affect with just under 24 hours notice, Ms Carey has already seen a stream of cancellations roll through.

“It’s definitely impacting us for sure,” she said.

“They were just starting to take off and now we’ve got more restrictions.

“We have already had cancellations for this weekend and some ongoing events in the next few weeks but everyone is just trying to wait and see because at the end of the day, if everyone is safe and if we can knock it on the head, that’s what we want.”

FUNERALS

In a move he described as unfair, Barney McArlein from South East Funeral Services in Mount Gambier is preparing to turn mourners away as new limits come into force.

The funeral director said dropping the cap from 150 to 50 with such short notice would make it difficult to ensure those planning to attend funerals in the coming days were informed.

“It’s harder for our families than it is for us,” Mr McArlein said.

South East Funeral Services in Mount Gambier.

“It‘s going to impact them terribly, especially the funerals that have been advertised because now all of a sudden you’ve got to turn people away when you get to 50.

“It‘s a difficult time as it is and it’s just been made a little bit more difficult.”

Mr McArlein said keeping people safe was the top priority but believed it was unfair a cluster currently contained to the city was impacting families in regional SA.

He said he would have preferred to see separate approaches for metropolitan and regional areas, similar to what was done in Victoria’s second wave.

“If there’s no cases in regional South Australia then maybe we should not have the same restrictions straightaway,” he said.

“It wouldn’t be as hard to lock down Adelaide as it would be to lock down Melbourne.”

HAIRDRESSERS

Naomi Lovegrove from Hairworx hair and beauty in Port Lincoln said her heart sunk at the initial reaction of the new restrictions due to high school students missing out on their formal.

“We have been very worried as of last night when the news announced because today’s actually our public high school’s year 12 formal,” she explained.

“We started thinking “Oh my gosh this is our whole afternoon is going to get wiped” because these poor girls aren’t going to be able to attend their formal.

“However it sounds like they are still allowed to go and any extras will have to watch via zoom.”

No stranger to wearing masks while they work, the girls on Lewis Street are prepared for another round of restrictions if need be.

“It was definitely hard there for a bit, especially when COVID first hit, but just by showing up and doing the best you can really,” Ms Lovegrove said.

“We are lucky to be in a community where everyone really came together and put rules into place so we have been really lucky.

“As much as it’s a bit of a pain, we don’t love it, we are willing to do it because we are so lucky just to be able to keep our doors open.”

In Mount Gambier, Molly Straford from Hue Colour praised the introduction of mandatory masks for personal services.

The hair salon owner said she hoped by implementing restrictions quickly would prevent the need for further lock downs.

“I just felt devastated for the people who have been closed down,” she said.

“It’s a really good alternative, I’d much rather stay open where we can be but in saying that I’m more than happy to close if that’s what the government decides it’s best to stop the spread.

“I personally feel that two weeks or a certain amount of time stricter restrictions feels better than a more dragged out process.”

After closing the business for a few weeks when the 30 minute rule was implemented earlier this year, Tuesday was Ms Straford’s first experience masking up and said it was a weird feeling.

“I can a appreciate a bit more how everyone in Melbourne feels because it’s very unnatural when you’re not used to it,” she said.

ORGANISED SPORT

Close to 50 basketball games have been cancelled at the drop of a hat due to the new restrictions, with Port Lincoln’s basketball season coming to grinding halt.

After the long awaited opening of the million dollar leisure centre, committee member Charmaine Otto said it was disappointing to have to close up what was already a different look season.

“Obviously it is really disappointing, we have just shut games but hopefully by doing this we can open up again in a couple of weeks,

“This will have a lot of implications for the rest of the season but as long as the kids are able to get back on the court they will be happy.

With nearly 100 teams in the competition, 44 games a week have been cancelled, with no indication the association will revisit them if game play resumes.

“We just don’t have the courts all the time to make up for the lost games, we will just have stop and start where ever we can because we cant extend the season any longer.

“Our representative side have also had their carnival cancelled which was set for next week in Port Pirie, that’s another shame because they always look forward to those sorts of things.”

The association made the decision heading into the season that only one parent or guardian could attend for their child’s game, a move Ms Otto said has worked well.

“It has been sad that kids can only have one spectator but it has been going well and people have been really good about it,” she said.

“It has given our junior umpires the chance to learn the game without the added pressure of a packed sideline.”