PARKS Victoria is warning people to follow social distancing laws this weekend after being forced to close two sites near Melbourne.
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It says people and their cars have inundated Upper Ferntree Gully's 1000 steps and Warburton's Redwood Forest since the parks reopened.
Police and Parks Victoria were unable to get people to physically distance and decided to close the parks until June 21.
People can still visit central Victoria's parks but are being urged to avoid busy parks and remember that a full car park means no more visitors should be there. They should also bring their own hand sanitiser.
More news:
The tourism industry is hoping for an influx of people this weekend. Mount Alexander Shire will reopen and is hoping people will visit friends and relatives overnight.
About 48 per cent of the area's tourism would normally come from friends and relatives.
Wineries across the Bendigo and Heathcote regions are also preparing to open after pandemic closures that have crippled the region's tourism industry.