New Changes from 11:59PM, 31 May (Victoria)

  • In line with advice from the Chief Health Officer, the Victorian Government has announced some further easing to restrictions.

    From 11:59pm 25 May, in line with schools returning to face-to-face learning, public playgrounds, outdoor communal gym equipment and skateparks will be opened. Physical distancing and group limits remain in place.

    From 11:59pm on 31 May the following changes will come into effect.

    Gatherings

    • Private gatherings increase to a total of 20 people in a house, including members of the household.
    • Public gatherings, both indoor and outdoor, will increase to 20.
    • Weddings increase to 20 people, plus the celebrant and the couple.
    • Both indoor and outdoor funerals increase to 50 people, plus people reasonably required to conduct the funeral.
    • Private worship or small religious ceremonies increase to up to 20 people plus people reasonably required for the ceremony.

    Business, travel, retail and personal services

    • Auction houses, real estate auctions and open house inspections increase to 20 people plus the minimum number reasonably required to facilitate.
    • Restaurants, cafes and pubs can open and serve meals for up to 20 patrons per space. Alcohol with meals only.
    • Overnight stays in private residences allowed.
    • Camping and tourist accommodation allowed if no use of shared facilities.
    • Beauty therapy, tanning, waxing, nail salons, spas, tattoo parlours, massage parlours to open with up to 20 patrons.
    • Non-food and drink market stalls to open.

    Sports and recreation

    • Community facilities to open, with no more than 20 people in a single space plus those reasonably required to run the space.
    • Indoor and outdoor pools to open, to maximum 20 patrons and limit of 3 people per lane in each pool.
    • Galleries, museums, national institutions, historic sites, outdoor amusement parks, drive-in cinemas, zoos and arcades to open with up to 20 patrons per space, while ensuring density limits are applied to the entire venue.
    • Non-contact outdoor sporting activities will increase to 20 people plus the instructor.

    From 11:59pm on 21 June – and in line with the most up-to-date advice of the Chief Health Officer – the following changes will be made:

    • Increased number of patrons in restaurants, cafes and pubs with up to 50 patrons per space.
    • Increase number of patrons in galleries, museums, national institutions, historic sites, outdoor amusement parks, zoos and arcades to up to 50 patrons per space, while ensuring density quotient is applied to the entire venue.
    • Ski season to start
    • Indoor sports centres and physical recreation venues, including gyms to open with up to 20 people per single undivided indoor space and up to 10 people per group/activity at any one time.
    • Indoor cinemas, movie theatres, concert venues, theatres, arenas, auditoriums, stadiums to open with up to 50 seated patrons per space. We continue to encourage Victorians to use their common sense when it comes to their activities. Because we all have a part to play. And it’s up to all of us to make this work. Police can issue fines for non-compliance with these restrictions.

    Police can issue fines for non-compliance with these restrictions.

    For more information, you can see a comprehensive list of Frequently asked questions about Directions by the Victorian Chief Health Officer at the Department of Health and Human Services.

    See the gradual easing of restrictions page at the Department of Health and Human Services for more detail about the easing of restrictions from 11.59pm on 12 May 2020.

    The above details were sourced from ‘Coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions Victoria: Details on restrictions in Victoria to slow the spread of coronavirus,’ from the Victorian Government’s website at www.vic.gov.au/coronavirus-covid-19-restrictions-victoria.