You beauty — the Test is set for the MCG

It’s a six for Victorian cricket fans, with a crowd of up to 25,000 confirmed for the Boxing Day test at the MCG.

Melburnians celebrate a return to COVID-normal life, with beauty salons like this one in South Yarra back in business on Wednesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ David Crosling

It’s a six for Victorian cricket fans, with a crowd of up to 25,000 confirmed for the Boxing Day test at the MCG, a win for fans fittingly announced on Melbourne’s first day of freedom from the coronavirus lockdown.

Cricket at the MCG is just one of the many freedoms now available to Melburnians with the reopening of retail, hospitality and non-essential services on ­Wednesday.

After months of online shopping and click and collect, hundreds headed to the shops, with some Kmart and Spotlight stores open from midnight while previously mandated shut-ins sought out friends at restaurants and bars.

Sports Minister Martin Pakula said he was “always confident” Victoria could manage case numbers to a point where the Boxing Day Test could go ahead.

Tattoo artist Reed Verrall with customer Filipe Freyr at Reverence Tattoo Shop in Richmond on Wednesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Paul Jeffers

He said if case numbers did increase, the Test would go ahead but with a smaller crowd.

“I’m quite certain we won’t need to send the Boxing Day Test anywhere but here,” he said.

Mr Pakula said the return of crowds to the MCG for one of the world’s greatest sporting events would be wonderful for Melbourne’s spirits, describing the Test as an “incredible reward” for Victorians following lockdown.

Sophie MacPherson joined friends for a drink at Arbory Afloat on the Yarra, closing up her CBD jewellery boutique early to celebrate the return to work, ­albeit a slow return to business as usual for many small businesses in the city.

“I was so excited to open my business back up and see everyone’s beautiful faces, as well as going to a bar and seeing friends — just being around people again has obviously been lovely,” she said. “I can’t wait to get some more foot traffic through and just the sense of community.”

Ms MacPherson said it was great to see people excited to be out and enjoying themselves with a drink. “There’s definitely social distancing measures in place but everyone seems to be having a great time anyway and making the most of it,” she said.

Shoppers enjoy the re-opened stores at Chadstone shopping centre. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the reopening of about 16,200 retail stores, 5800 cafes and restaurants and 1000 beauty salons had enabled 180,000 Victorians to return to work. “We are grateful to all of those businesses,” he said.

“They have been through a lot and we have tried to support them as much as we can … now the greater support is for everybody to remain vigilant so we can be COVID-safe and open.

“It is no small thing to have 180,000 people going back today.

“Many Melburnians want to get out and support local businesses and I want to remind everyone the rules still apply.”

Despite Melbourne’s recent low numbers of new cases, Mr Pakula ruled out racehorse owners and members attending the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington. He said it wasn’t a question of whether a “huge” place like Flemington could safely accommodate a crowd but instead a judgment made of the community’s re­action while restrictions were still in place for pubs, restaurants and other businesses.

“It just wasn’t appropriate in all of the circumstances to have hundreds of owners congregating at Flemington,” he said.

Both of Victoria’s two new cases on Wednesday were in quarantined close contacts of positive cases that were part of the northern suburbs cluster, which now totals 41 cases. The two positive results came after 24,673 tests were processed in the 24 hours to Wednesday as many people got themselves tested before returning to work. Victoria now has 80 active coronavirus cases.