Victoria has entered a fourth lockdown with little advanced warning leaving local businesses in the lurch once again.

Daylesford and Hepburn depend heavily on tourism. Just as businesses felt they were starting to recover, they have been hit with crippling restrictions again.

Local accommodation venues have turned away people who had made bookings. Local restaurants and florists have been left with large quantities of perishables.

The  “circuit breaker lockdown” was imposed to prevent further spread of the COVID outbreak. The current outbreak originated with a Victorian man who became infected while in hotel quarantine in South Australia.

The restrictions will remain in place until 11:59pm on Thursday 3 June and may be extended unless infection thresholds are met during the lockdown period. The Victorian Chief Health Officer has not indicated what the specific thresholds are.

The lockdown requires that people must stay except for the following reasons:

  • shopping for necessary goods and services (one person per household, once per day, a support person can accompany if required)
  • for caregiving or compassionate reasons
  • for authorised work or permitted education, or work interstate
  • for exercise (up to two hours, with one other person or members of your household)
  • to receive a vaccination
  • other specified reasons (specific exemptions apply).

Masks are required both indoors and out of doors except when at home.

The full statement from the Acting Premier is available at https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/statement-acting-premier-1

The Council Transfer Stations will remain open for essential waste disposal during usual hours of operation. Hygiene measures will continue to be in place. The tip shops will close.

Council Customer Services will shut for face-to-face transactions. You can still speak to a Customer Service staff member over the phone on 5348 2306.

Libraries will close. However, from Monday 31 May you can call or click-and-collect between 10am and 4pm on the usual days of operation.

Visitor Information Centres will close. Visitors are welcome to make enquiries via freecall 1800 454 891 or email visitorinfo@hepburn.vic.gov.au.

The Daylesford Neighbourhood Centre will be closed.

All U3A activities scheduled for the lockdown period are cancelled.

Planned events on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 May will be rescheduled. These include the Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens Open Day and the Rod May Memorial Tree Planting Ceremony

For updates on restrictions visit https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus.