Bendigo lockdown to lift despite Covid in wastewater

COVID QUICK GUIDE: Bendigo can breathe a sigh of relief after a Covid positive wastewater test did not derail its escape from lockdown.

MacKenzie Quarters owner Rhianwen Seiter and her brother Ellis Nuttall at their Bendigo restaurant, event venue and accommodation business. Picture: Instagram

Bendigo can breathe a sigh of relief after a Covid positive wastewater test did not stop the region from escaping lockdown.

Acting Premier James Merlino confirmed all of regional Victoria would emerge from lockdown at 11.59pm on Thursday, June 3.

Health authorities said the past 24 hours were critical to determine whether the regional city 153km northwest of Melbourne joined the rest of country Victoria in easing restrictions.

On Wednesday, Health Minister Martin Foley said Covid had been found in Bendigo and Axedale as part of a “number of unexpected (wastewater) detections”.

Mr Foley stressed the Bendigo wastewater test did not “easily line-up” to known Covid cases and could be a result of a historical case or an undiagnosed positive case.

But today deputy chief health officer Allen Cheng confirmed there had been strong testing results after the wastewater detections.

Professor Cheng said recent wastewater samples had produced a negative Covid result.

He said health authorities would continue to monitor known close contacts after a Covid-positive patient visited the region last week.

Bendigo Health said more than 100 close contacts were identified in connection with the Axedale and Bendigo exposure sites.

“Following the detection of fragments in the wastewater, the local Public Health Unit has made contact with identified close contacts,” a health spokeswoman said.

She said more than 260 people were tested by the Bendigo Health COVID-19 Screening Clinic yesterday, bringing the tally of tested individuals to 2820 since Wednesday May 26.

Bendigo Health urged everyone to monitor for symptoms and get tested if they were feeling unwell.

While the lockdown will lift, strict restrictions will remain in place particularly mask rules, limits to public gatherings, religious ceremonies, weddings and funerals and business capacity limits.

Regional Victorians will be able to travel in regional Victoria, but Melburnians will not.

Ms Batterhams and Mackenzie Quarters owner Rhianwen Seiter said she was overjoyed to hear that lockdowns could ease in Bendigo starting Thursday.

“We had prepared for the worst but hoped for the best,” Ms Seiter said.

Ms Batterhams and Mackenzie Quarters owner Rhianwen Seiter said she was overjoyed to hear that lockdowns could ease in Bendigo starting Thursday. Picture: Rob Leeson.

Operating out of a restored 141-year-old building just off Bendigo’s arts district, Ms Seiter said her MacKenzie St business included short-term accommodation, events and catering, and a restaurant – all of which were shut down under the latest circuit breaker lockdown.

Ms Seiter was “thrilled” to hear she could once again open her doors, despite the new restrictions limiting the business’s capacity.

The restaurant owner said she was already almost completely booked out for Saturday, with only half the tables remaining free for Friday.

“(But) the restrictions are to keep us all safe and let us operate in this new environment,” she said.

Despite romantic dinners, weekend getaways and even weddings being cancelled during the lockdown, Ms Seiter said most people were accepting the inconveniences in their stride.

“People have been really good about it,” she said.

“We all know – hope – it’s all just for a short time.”

Ms Seiter said they were shuffling weddings back, with one bride with Melbourne and interstate guests gambling on her big day being held next month.

“We’re being as flexible as we can,” Ms Seiter said.

But with Melbourne and the borders still locked down, Ms Seiter said the accommodation side of the business had taken a big hit, with $4500 in bookings lost over the next two weeks.

“People are less likely to reschedule that,” she said.

She remained hopeful that regional Victorians would take the Melbourne lockdown as an opportunity to explore their own backyard and visit Bendigo.

“That’s what happened last time,” she said.

The City of Greater Bendigo said it would adjust the delivery of some services in response to the new COVID-19 restrictions.

Chief executive officer Craig Niemann thanked the community for its patience and understanding.

“Like everyone, we hope to be on the other side of these restrictions sooner than later and look forward to having our facilities re-open when it’s safe to do so and there is more certainty,” Mr Niemann said.

The council said the Bendigo Art Gallery, The Capital and Ulumbarra theatres and The Engine Room, and indoor swimming pools and gyms at Gurri Wanyarra Wellbeing Centre and Peter Krenz Centre will all remain closed until Thursday June 10.

Bendigo East Swimming Pool will re-open on Friday June 4, but with restrictions.

The Bendigo and Heathcote Visitor Information Centres will re-open on Friday June 4, but the Customer Service Centres will re-open next week on Tuesday June 15 following the long weekend.

All other services will continue, including Maternal and Child Health, Immunisation, Aged Care, Early Years and outdoor services, with some changes in place as needed.

Rate payments have been extended until Monday June 21, with online payments available.

INITIAL WEDNESDAY: The next 24 hours will determine whether Bendigo escapes lockdown after a positive wastewater test was returned the same day the Victorian Government announced its plan to set regional areas free.

Health Minister Martin Foley said Covid had been found in Bendigo and Axedale as part of a “number of unexpected (wastewater) detections”.

Mr Foley made the announcement shortly after the Victorian Government announced restrictions would ease in regional Victoria.

But Mr Foley stressed the Bendigo wastewater test did not “easily line-up” to known Covid cases.

He said this could be a result of a historical case or an undiagnosed positive case.

Mr Foley said the Bendigo Covid fragment would have been in the system between Thursday May 27 and Monday May 31.

Health authorities called on Bendigo residents to get tested if they had any symptoms.

City of Greater Bendigo mayor Jennifer Alden said she would be waiting with bated breath for the results.

She also reminded residents the announcement for eased restrictions were still just “proposed at this stage”.

City of Greater Bendigo Mayor Jennifer Alden. Picture: Zizi Averill

“We do understand that this is a fast-moving variant and that we must adjust to keep our community safe,” she said.

Cr Alden welcomed the news some businesses could reopen, but not all.

“It is important that as businesses either remain closed, or have to limit the number of people they can serve or the services they provide, that government funding continues and is easily available so as they can be supported through this latest lockdown,” she said.

Cr Alden said it was essential that the community banded around its local businesses, saying “any purchase, whatever the size, helps”.

Cr Alden said the upcoming Heathcote on Show wine event was one of many tourism ventures that would be impacted by the continued Melbourne lockdown.

The positive wastewater test comes as a Goulburn Valley retirement home goes into lockdown after staff members visited an exposure site.

Royal Freemasons Benalla management were told on Wednesday two of their staff were primary and secondary close contacts of someone who attended BP Euroa on May 24 between 5pm and 6pm.

The Euroa exposure site was one of three new sites announced today across regional Victoria.

Two other Goulburn Valley BP outlets were named as exposure sites, in Wallan, 132km south of Shepparton, and Glenrowan, 86km east of Shepparton.

This brings the total of exposure sites in Central Victoria to five after a Cohuna footy club, Bendigo hairdresser and an Axedale pub were identified as exposure sites last week.