And we enter the weekend once again upbeat that the great work we've all been part of could yet see us earn an early reprieve from some of the regulations that have had such a profound influence on all our lives for the majority of time since March.

The criteria set by the government for regional Victoria to equal before we could be considered for relief involved a rolling 14-day average of less than five new cases of COVID-19 and for there to be no so-called mystery cases recorded.

As of yesterday afternoon it was a big tick, and another big tick.

An earlier case in Echuca that had lobbed as a mystery case - one whose origins could not yet be traced to another existing incidence, was thankfully determined to be a pesky 'false positive'.

Public Health Unit Bendigo confirms Echuca coronavirus case is a 'false positive'

This means Mr Andrews should now be assembling his notes to announce any day now that regional Victorians will be rewarded for the work we've done, and that restrictions will ease, potentially by two stages and not just one.

For his part, the embattled premier has endured perhaps not his best week.

Sunday's so-called road map resembled more of a blank piece of paper than a map for regional Victoria, the lack of clarity and recognition for the progress we've all made infuriating many Victorians who thought we deserved more.

His steadfast refusal to at least acknowledge and take ownership of the decision to introduce a curfew in Melbourne has become more of a sticking point than the curfew itself.

If the police didn't ask for it (and they didn't) and if Brett Sutton didn't recommend it (and he didn't), that pretty much leaves only the government left standing.

Mr Andrews should own it, and move on, because that's exactly what the rest of us want him to do, and to not get bogged down at a time when we both want and need directions.

But rest assured, we'll get there - and for country Victoria, sooner and quicker than Melbourne.

That's a scenario not without its own challenges, but also - opportunities.

ATM thieves jailed for stealing more than $300,000 from rural communities

It was a welcome blip on the screen yesterday to see a media release from the City of Greater Bendigo lob that pointed to outdoor dining as a focal point for the next (and very welcome) stage of our community's pandemic recovery.

"Being able to dine outside will be a key ingredient to economic recovery for hospitality businesses, so the City of Greater Bendigo is calling on business owners to arrange a time to discuss how to start or expand their outdoor dining offer,' it began.

The potential for some semblance of "normality" under the third step of the Victorian Government's roadmap to reopening means serving patrons outside with group limits of 10 people and other physical distancing requirements in place.

The City is talking up the possibility outdoor dining areas might be able to expand along the footpath - or in some instances businesses could make temporary use of adjacent car parks or even partial road closures, particularly if a group of neighbouring hospitality businesses come together to make use of this option.

Alleluia!

This is perhaps the most welcome release we've had from the City of Greater Bendigo in six months.

Credit to them for recognising the possibilities and the potential that could exist when restrictions are eased.

Even businesses that have not provided outdoor dining before are encouraged to think big.

"We encourage businesses to think creatively about how they would like to use outdoor spaces, there are some great examples where 'parklets' (dining spaces in car parks) have been beautifully decorated and really add to the appeal of eating out.

Mifsud scores first winner from new training base

"There will be no restrictions on parklet designs, but they will need to be safe for patrons dining-in and also for pedestrian and vehicle traffic moving past, and be accessible for emergency services," City Director Strategy and Growth Bernie O'Sullivan said yesterday.

"Our aim is to make this process as simple and seamless for businesses as possible, we want to see all our hospitality venues, bakeries, cafes, restaurants, pubs and bars across Greater Bendigo have the opportunity to welcome as many customers as safely as possible."

I'll drink to that.