Mitchell Shire residents moved into stage three restrictions from 11.59pm on Wednesday.

Under the restrictions, residents are only allowed to leave their homes to shop for essentials, for medical care and care giving, daily exercise, or study and work if they can't do so from home.

Read more: Greater Bendigo, central Victoria border closures to Mitchell Shire, metropolitan Melbourne

Victoria Police said they would use booze buses and mobile police facilities to monitor the border between locked down and non-locked down areas.

But there were no checkpoints at the Greater Bendigo and Mitchell Shire border on the Northern Highway about 7.30am on Thursday.

Dozens of cars were allowed to pass through without being checked.

The border is in between Heathcote and Tooborac.

A Victoria Police spokesperson said people could expect to see a visible police presence across the state.

"We will not be providing a running commentary on where police will be located and their daily enforcement activities," they said.

"However the community can be assured that police will be out and about in significant numbers across the state."

Meanwhile, police have set up a checkpoint area on the Calder Freeway.

Drivers are being stopped and checked near the Gisborne South exit.