AusLeisure

With the Victorian Government set to reimpose Level 3 Coronavirus restrictions for six weeks in metropolitan Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire from midnight tomorrow, operators in aquatics, fitness, recreation and tourism, along with those in community recreation, are facing a further 42 days in lockdown.

With operators having been reopening since late June as Coronavirus restrictions were eased, the move has been made in a bid to slow a rapid spread of COVID-19.

With 191 new cases confirmed today, including 154 which are under investigation, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced the stay-at-home orders were the result of the "unacceptably" high number of new cases.

He advised “it is simply impossible, with case rates at these levels, to have enough contract tracing staff to have enough physical resources … in order to suppress and contain this virus without taking significant steps.”

The new restrictions, which are expected to affect about five million people, require people - other than those in essential services  to remain at home other than for shopping for food and essential items, care and caregiving, daily exercise, work and study. 

Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said there was a "unanimous view" on the need to impose the new restrictions, adding “this is required to avoid absolutely catastrophic outcomes, indeed thousands of cases per day.

"I know that we will already see deaths from the cases that we have occurring every day. What I do not want to see is any more deaths than are already predicted."

The closure comes after the NSW Government advised that the state’s border with Victoria would close from midnight tonight and just a day after Victorian ski resorts Falls Creek and Mount Hotham commenced their much delayed season opening.

Metropolitan Melbourne, also known as Greater Melbourne, includes 31 municipalities: Banyule, Bayside, Boroondara, Brimbank, Cardinia, Casey, Darebin, Frankston, Glen Eira, Greater Dandenong, Hobsons Bay, Hume, Kingston, Knox, Manningham, Maribyrnong, Maroondah, Melbourne, Melton, Monash, Moonee Valley, Moreland, Mornington Peninsula, Nillumbik, Port Phillip, Stonnington, Whitehorse, Whittlesea, Wyndham, Yarra and Yarra Ranges.

The Mitchell Shire, including the towns of Broadford and Wallan, is not part of Metropolitan Melbourne but is covered by the lockdown.

Related Articles

3rd July 2020 - AFL’s Victorian teams to move interstate

3rd July 2020 - Funding to assist development of Sustainable Tourism Toolkit for Central Victorian Goldfields

1st July 2020 - Creative Victoria continues to roll out support packages for creative industries

30th June 2020 - AFL faces fixture upheaval as Victorian Coronavirus cases rise

30th June 2020 - Queensland to reopen borders to all except Victorians

25th June 2020 - Victorian fans to be prevented from attending NRL and AFL games in NSW

20th June 2020 - Victorian Government tightens Coronavirus restrictions after second wave of infections

15th June 2020 - Victoria Tourism Industry Council welcomes easing of restrictions but highlights challenges of the four square metre rule

1st June 2020 - Victorian national parks closed after social distancing breaches

25th May 2020 - Victorian grassroots sporting clubs and associations to receive government support

24th May 2020 - Victorian Government announces opening of gyms and ski fields from 22nd June

13th May 2020 - Survival package unveiled for Victorian sport, tourism and creative industries

6th May 2020 - Victorian Government announces support for casual workers stood down from shuttered public sector venues

4th May 2020 - Australians’ physical activity declines during Coronavirus lockdown

---

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.