Regional Victoria will take the next step in its COVID-19 recovery and open up from 11.59pm on Wednesday night.
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Victorian premier Daniel Andrews announced that with no new mystery cases in regional Victoria since September 1 and a rolling 14-day average of 3.6 new cases, regional Victoria was able to take the third step in the roadmap to COVID normal.
There were no new coronavirus cases in regional Victoria overnight but 42 new cases across the whole state.
"We know regional Victoria has done a mighty job that allows us to open up," Mr Andrews said.
"This is a great day for regional Victorians. I'm proud of regional Victorians and grateful to regional Victorians.
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"It is a day of hope and optimism. This strategy is working. It has worked in regional Victoria and is working in metropolitan Melbourne.
"I'm so, so pleased and proud of every regional Victoria that followed the rules."
The announcement means the four reasons to leave home under stage three restrictions no longer apply.
Other changes include gathering limits increasing to groups of 10 outdoors (not including infants under 12 months) and schools will see a staggered start to term four.
Households can have five visitors from one household at a time.
Retail businesses can re-open including hairdressing and beauty services where a mask can be worn for the duration of services.
Real estate agents can host private inspections by appointment and outdoor auctions that follow gathering limits.
Community sport will return for children and non-contact sport will return for adults. Gyms can operate outdoors subject to gathering limits.
Weddings may have 10 people involved including the couple, celebrant and two witnesses.
Funerals will be able to have a maximum of 20 mourners and outdoor religious activities can host 10 people and a faith leader.
Victoria's deputy chief health officer Allan Chen said regional Victorians must stay vigilant.
"The price of that is that we need to continue to be vigilant," he said.
Hospitality and entertainment will be allowed subject to gathering limits and density rules.
Mr Andrews said cafes, bars, restaurants and pubs would be able to seat patrons and offer table service.
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Hospitality businesses can open with 10 seated patrons per space (up to a maximum of two spaces) with one person per four square metres.
Outdoor service will be able to host up to 50 patrons per space subject to a denisity limit of one person per two square metres and tables being 1.5 metres apart.
Group bookings can not be larger than 10 people.
"This means larger venues can have up to 70 people seated at any one time," Mr Andrews said.
"We know many people would like more but...this is a reasonable compromise.
"It is a significant step (considering) venues were closed and doing takeaway only.
"It is a safe step and one that strikes balance between more economic activity, more money in tills without risking the hard work regional Victoria has done."
Mr Andrews said the success of regional Victoria's third step would inform how metropolitan Melbourne opens up when the time is right.
"As weeks pass and we see the model working, (we will) have real data," he said. "We don't rule out monitoring and being informed by that.
"The work in regional Victoria will help inform the early steps we take in metropolitan Melbourne."
Regional accommodation will also open and be available to regional Victorians who wish to travel.
But Mr Andrews said there would still be no travel between metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.
"Tourist accommodation will open for regional Victorians in regional Victoria," he said. "We can't have people travelling unnecessarily and unlawfully from metropolitan Melbourne."
Mr Andrews warned that checkpoints between regional Victoria and Melbourne would be strengthened. He said police would be stopping more cars, and indicated that significant delays were likely for people driving between the country and city.
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