Each of the states in Australia has different restrictions and rules in regards to the Coronavirus disease. Living in Victoria we probably have had some of the strictest rules out of all the states but as a whole Australia compared to the rest of the world has managed to flatten the curve and minimise the spread of COVID-19. In Victoria from the 31st May travel and camping is allowed, however with restrictions.
Here is what our travel and restaurant restrictions are in Victoria as of 31 May:
From 11:59pm on 31 May, restrictions on travel within Victoria will be eased further:
-You will be able to stay in a holiday home or private residence
-You will be also able to stay in tourist accommodation, including caravan parks and camping grounds, where there are no shared communal facilities (e.g. kitchens and bathrooms)
-Tourist accommodation can open to guests provided there are no shared communal facilities such as kitchens or bathrooms
From 11.59pm on 31 May, restaurants, cafes and other hospitality businesses have been able to resume dine-in services with the following restrictions:
–Up to 20 seated patrons per enclosed space.
-Limits will be placed on entry to comply with the density requirements allowed within a single space – one customer per four square metres.
-Venues are required to request contact details, first name and phone number, of every customer to assist in rapid contact tracing.
From 11.59pm on 21 June this will increase to 50 patrons per enclosed space. A further increase of up to 100 patrons per enclosed space is planned for the second half of July. Changes to these dates will be subject to the advice of the Chief Health Officer.
What are the penalties for noncompliance?
Victoria Police can issue on the spot fines of up to $1,652 for individuals and up to $9,913 for businesses for:
-Refusing or failing to comply with the emergency directions
-Refusing or failing to comply with a public health risk power direction
-Refusing or failing to comply with a direction by the Chief Health Officer to provide information.
Fines of up to $20,000 for individuals and $100,000 for businesses are possible through the court system.
Source: www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/travel-restrictions-covid-19
David shoulder surgery – no travel for us anyway!
You need to be reasonably fit to be able to move and setup even a little caravan. We knew we were going to be unable to travel because of the restrictions, and at the same time wait for a shoulder operation for Dave and then go through the rehab and recovery before any more travel.
David’s right shoulder was meant to be operated on earlier on in the year but with the cancellation of all elective surgery it was put on hold indefinitely. The hospitals were gearing up for maximum beds needed for the predicted COVID-19 outbreak and spread. As time went on and the virus under control some of the hospitals were able to operate on approved patients.
Dave got a call asking if he would like to have his shoulder done and on the 29th April 2020 he had it fixed up. He had been in agony and unable to sleep for months – his shoulder was dislocated and popped back in many times as a young footballer and with age had deteriorated. We were happy that this was able to happen sooner rather than later as the recovery was going to take months too.
The hard part about recovering from multiple procedures/ shoulder operation like David has had, is that he has to wear a sling 24/7 for 6 weeks. This makes sleeping extremely difficult. ( For both of us). He still had a couple of weeks to go before we see the specialist again, and then his wasted away arm will have to go through a series of rehab sessions.
When and where will we travel?
Don’t know when or where we will go. We have to wait until David’s arm is strong enough to lift and move stuff again. ( At the moment he is not allowed to lift anything heavier than a coke can!).
We will also have to wait until the restrictions are lifted on Caravan parks to have shared bathrooms open again – our Jpod Sport does not have a shower or toilet.
We are really missing our little weekends away in our Jpod, and our day-trips out to the Yarra Valley. Looks like we will have to wait for the restrictions to be lifted and for Dave’s shoulder to be strong again before we go on our next holiday!