Businesses providing beauty and personal services will be permitted to reopen once regional Victoria moves to the third step of the plan to ease out of COVID-19 restrictions.
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The announcement has come as welcome news for the owners of such businesses in Bendigo, who had faced waiting until late November to reopen under the original iteration of the state government's plan.
A date has not been set for the move to step three, but Premier Daniel Andrews has said that regional Victoria could reach it this week.
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Amy Drummond, owner of KIN skin makeup body, said the situation was looking more positive than last weekend, when the 'roadmap to reopening' was first announced.
When they reopen, salons will be permitted to provide only services where the customer can wear their mask for the entire duration, meaning facials and skin treatments will remain unavailable during that step.
Mrs Drummond said skincare was a "huge part" of her business, but she was lucky her business provided other services and had a loyal customer base.
It was hard to know exactly how the reduced services she could provide would affect the business, Mrs Drummond said, but she would have to monitor demand and adjust.
She said she was now preparing to open the doors when the time came.
Brazilian Beauty owner Ellen Gammon said she was "very happy" with the announcement, and ready to reopen as soon as she got the green light.
Her business, too, will be unable to offer its full range of services, but Ms Gammon expects they will be quite busy anyway.
During the lockdown, she said, she had some employees undertake training around skin issues related to mask-wearing, so they would be able to offer advice to customers on how to care for their skin at home.
Ms Gammon said the pandemic had been a stressful time for her, but she could not put her staff or clients at risk.
"It's quite stressful, but what do you do? There's no choice really... People's health and wellbeing is what it's all about," she said.
Ms Gammon believed the strict hygiene standards the industry abided by played a part in the government's decision to allow such businesses to reopen.
Mrs Drummond echoed this, and said working within health and hygiene guidelines was part of daily protocol for such businesses.
She said she was proud of the industry for rallying to have the government alter the restrictions, and they now had a voice.
Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
