Coronavirus Victoria: What do the changes mean for Melburnians?

After 12 weeks and one day of hard lockdown, Melbourne has finally been given a clear path to freedom.

Premier Daniel Andrews has announced a major easing of restrictions, to begin at 11:59pm on Tuesday, after hundreds of negative test results were returned from the northern suburbs showing the state has control of the latest coronavirus outbreak.

Among the biggest changes will be to retail and hospitality, with businesses allowed to reopen from 11:59pm on Tuesday.

Melburnians will also regain some of the social freedoms denied to us for months, including the ability to meet outside in greater numbers and allow visitors to our homes.

Mr Andrews acknowledged how difficult the past months have been for Victorians. He paid tribute to the "kindness and commitment and courage" shown by Melburnians driving case numbers down to a rolling 14-day average of 3.6, with no new cases recorded over the past 24 hours.

"We haven't had a zero case day for a long time, which is why it is emotional, because people have been through a lot," Mr Andrews said.

Premier Daniel Andrews on Monday.Credit: Paul Jeffers

"People have done amazing things, [shown] extraordinary acts of kindness and commitment and courage.

"None of this has been easy but Victorians have shown what they are made of, looking out for each other, protecting and caring for each other but also knowing that this virus does not discriminate.

"This is not about where you live or what you do for a living, how much money you have in the bank or where your parents were born, this is everybody's business and challenge, and together, as a united state, we have been able to bring this under control."

Below you'll find a building list of what we know about each of the levels, when they will apply and what they mean.

Melburnians enjoying a picnic recently.Credit: Chris Hopkins

From 11:59pm on Tuesday, October 27

• Melbourne moves from a "stay at home" to a "stay safe" footing, meaning there will no longer be any restrictions on people leaving their homes.
• All retail will re-open.
• Cafes, pubs and restaurants can re-open with 50 people outdoors and 20 people indoors.
• Food courts can open, with an indoor seating maximum of two people per table. Venues will be limited to the lesser of 25 per cent of a venue’s fixed seating capacity; or a density quotient of one person per eight square metres. This will be subject to regular cleaning and taking of names.
• Outdoor dining will kick off in earnest, with a maximum of 50 diners per area, in groups of 10 people, with each area separated by 10 metres from the next. There will be a maximum of four areas (200 people) per venue.
• Beauty services – where people can wear a mask – can reopen.
• Libraries and community venues can reopen for outdoor events.
• Outdoor gatherings will still have a cap of 10 people, although they can be from more than two households.
• Weddings can have up to 10 people, while funerals can have up to 20 people.
• Libraries and toy libraries will be open for collections and returns only.
• A maximum of 10 people, plus a faith leader, will be able to gather to worship. Outdoors, there can be a maximum of 20 people, plus one faith leader, in religious and faith gatherings.
• Outdoor community sport for under-18s, and outdoor non-contact sport for adults will restart.
• Outdoor personal training and physical education will be allowed among a household, or in groups of up to 10 people, plus instructors.
• Outdoor fitness or dance classes will be open for up to 10 people not including the trainer.
• Drive-in cinemas will reopen, but no sitting outside your vehicle will be allowed.
• The 25-kilometre rule will stay in place until 11:59pm on November 8.
• The "ring of steel" between metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria also remains in place until 11:59pm on November 8.

From 11:59pm on November 8:

• Victoria will again "become one", Mr Andrews said, with the 25-kilometre rule removed and Victorians free to travel between metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.
• Gyms and fitness studios in Melbourne will open, with a maximum of 20 people per space, or one person per eight square metres.
• Restaurants, hotels, cafes and bars will move to an indoor maximum of 40, with 10 people per space; and an outdoor maximum of 70 people, with one person in every two square metres.
• Libraries and toy libraries will reopen with a maximum of 20 people indoors but no more than 10 in a space, subject to density requirements.
• Faith gatherings can have an outdoors maximum of 50 people, plus one faith leader. Indoors there can be a maximum of 20 people, plus one faith leader.
• Funerals will move indoors, with a maximum of 20 mourners. Outdoors there can be a maximum of 50 mourners.
• Indoor community non-contact sport can resume for under-18s for sports where participants can maintain a distance of 1.5 metres.
• Indoor pools will reopen for up to 20 people.

No change

• If you can work from home you must still work from home.
• Face coverings remain mandatory.
• Gatherings of people in the home: New rules will be announced in coming days.
• Playcentres will remain closed, with no plans to reopen them on November 8.
• Indoor skateparks will remain closed (outdoor skateparks are open).
• Arcades, amusement parks, escape rooms, casinos, gaming machine areas, bingo centres, brothels and sex on premises venues remain closed.
• Cinemas and theatres will stay closed to audiences.

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