Victorian Government announces opening of gyms and ski fields from 22nd June

The Victorian Government has announced a further easing of the state’s lockdown restrictions that will see some restrictions lifted from 1st June and further easing as of 22nd June that will see the opening of ski fields and fitness facilities.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews today announced that from this Tuesday outdoor playgrounds, skateparks and outdoor communal gym equipment will reopen - in line with the return to face-to-face learning in school.

As announced earlier, from Monday, community sport teams across Victoria will be able to train again, although there has been no advice on whether or not leagues will complete a season.

From 1st June, outdoor gatherings of up to 20 people will be allowed along with overnight stays in private residences and tourism accommodation, with campgrounds and caravan parks also to reopen - but with communal facilities like kitchens or bathrooms remaining closed.

From 1st June, libraries, youth centres and other community facilities will be able to open with no more than 20 people in a single area. Entertainment and cultural venues like galleries, museums, drive-in cinemas and historic sites will be able to open their doors, alongside zoos and outdoor amusement parks at that time. Physical distancing and a limit of up to 20 patrons per space will apply, and indoor venues will be required to keep customer contact details.

Swimming pools will also open with limits of 20 people and additional safety requirements in place. Community sporting activities will also be permitted with up to 20 people in undivided spaces, provided the sport is outdoors, non-competition, non-contact, and people are able to play 1.5 metres apart. Restrictions on professional sport will remain unchanged.

Advising that the “new normal” comes with the message “stay safe”, Premier Andrews (pictured) went on to advised that if community transmission rates continue to remain low and testing rates continue to remain high, the state will look to further relax restrictions from 22nd June.

From that date, indoor fitness and recreation facilities will open with up to 20 people per space and up to 10 people per group or activity at any one time.

Up to 50 people will then be permitted in restaurants, cafes, galleries, museums and for the first time, cinemas and theatres.

22nd June will also see Victoria’s ski resorts able to open for the winter season.

Advice from Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services includes a requirement that use of shared sporting equipment should be minimised and there should be no sharing of equipment that touches the face or head.

Easing of Victoria’s Coronavirus restrictions
26th May
• Public playgrounds, outdoor gums and skateparks reopen with limit of 10 people

1st June
• Private gatherings of 20 people in a house, including residents
• Public gatherings (indoor and outdoor) increase to 20 people
• 20 guests at weddings, plus a celebrant and the couple
• 50 mourners at funerals, plus those required to conduct the funeral
• 20 worshippers at private or small religious ceremonies, plus those required to run the ceremony
• 20 players for non-contact outdoor sport, plus the instructor
• Restaurants, cafes and pubs to open and serve meals for up to 20 patrons. Alcohol with meals only
• Camping and tourist accommodation, without shared facilities
• Beauty therapy, tanning, waxing, nail salons, spas, tattoo parlours and massage parlours to open with up to 20 patrons
• Non-food and drink market stalls to open
• Community facilities to re-open for up to 20 people, plus staff
• Indoor and outdoor pools to re-open for up to 20 patrons and limit of three people per lane
• Galleries, museums, national institutions, historic sites, outdoor amusement parks, drive in cinemas, zoos and arcades to open with up to 20 patrons per space (ensuring density quotient is applied)

22nd June
• Restaurants, cafes and pubs to serve food to up to 50 patrons. Alcohol with meals only
• Increase number of patrons in galleries, museums, national institutions, historic sites, outdoor amusement parks, zoos and arcades to up to 50 patrons per space
• Ski season can start
• Indoor sports centres, including gyms, to re-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 re-open with up to 50 seated patrons