Melbourne holiday home owners to be allowed visit to make fire safe
In a move regional residents fear will be taken advantage of and used to justify sneaky stays, Melbourne holiday home owners will soon be able to able to visit their second properties to prepare them for summer.
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Melburnians with holiday homes in bushfire-prone parts of the State may be allowed to visit them within weeks, to prepare their properties for summer.
In a move regional residents fear will be exploited and used to justify sneaky stays, Melbourne holiday house owners could soon be able to apply for permits, to make their second properties fire safe.
It’s understood some councils have asked the State Government to reclassify fire-preparedness as ‘emergency maintenance’, which is allowed under COVID rules.
More than half of East Gippsland was devastated by the New Year bushfires, which claimed five lives, razed homes and destroyed livelihoods.
And there are large numbers of holiday homes along the bushy and fire-prone Great Ocean Road, many of which are owned by Melbourne people.
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) rules currently ban Melburnians travelling to their regional holiday homes to “prepare it for an emergency” such as bushfire, unless they have been issued with an official fire prevention notice, demanding they clean up their property.
It comes as other regional councils urge locals to dob in Melburnians who have breached COVID laws by sneaking away to their coastal or country holiday pads, for a break.
In the wake of the shock Shepparton outbreak, caused by a rogue Melbourne man, councils from the Bass and Surf coasts, to Hepburn, are pleading with city-based holiday home owners to do the right thing and stay away.
Bass Coast chief executive Ali Wastie said the council was aware of anecdotal reports of illegal visits to its region, which included popular Phillip Island, but added it was “not authorised nor resourced to check whether holiday homes are being occupied by people from outside regional Victoria”.
“If anyone has any concerns, they should notify Victoria Police, who are the responsible authority,” she said.
Surf Coast Shire, which includes Torquay and Lorne, the City of Greater Geelong which includes Barwon Heads and Ocean Grove, and Queenscliff council all echoed Bass Coast’s call, for residents suspecting COVID breaches to report them to Victoria Police via its hotline.
Hepburn Shire chief executive officer Evan King said: “Council is not the compliance agency for COVID restrictions, our role is to educate and support the community and business to comply with regulations. The State Government restrictions are clear and Melbourne residents without a lawful reason who enter the shire risk large fines.”
The Sunday Herald Sun is aware of reports of Melbourne holiday home owners staying at their coastal properties over the recent school holidays and weekends.
Reports also abound of Melbourne-based people who were raised in regional areas, regularly visiting their family and friends in their home towns without being stopped at checkpoints.
Community members who are concerned about a breach of public health restrictions can contact the Police Assistance Line on 131 444 or report it online via www.police.vic.gov.au/coronavirus-and-staying-safe