Business and political leaders in Shepparton say the response to a local coronavirus outbreak could show how future outbreaks should be handled.
Independent Member for Shepparton District Suzanna Sheed said while there were "inevitable" delays at testing sites early on, the response so far had been remarkable.
"It could be a blueprint for what happens in the future in some ways," she said.
After three cases of coronavirus in the region were confirmed, health authorities called in rapid response teams from Ballarat, Bendigo and Melbourne, as well as additional Australian Defence Force personnel.
The number of testing sites in Shepparton and surrounding areas were more than doubled.
Residents queued for hours on Wednesday and Thursday to be tested, and some sites reached capacity early in the day.
By Friday, however, the lines of waiting residents were gone and people were able to be tested straight away at the majority of sites.
Goulburn Valley Health said more than 3,000 people had been tested on Thursday across Greater Shepparton and the broader Goulburn Valley Region, and 96 per cent of the people tested on Wednesday had received their results.
'Harder, quicker hit'
Managing Director of J. Furphy & Sons Engineering Adam Furphy said getting on top of testing delays was important.
"If you've got people being turned away after four or five hours in a queue and that happens two days in a row, I just can't think that that's acceptable," he said.
Mr Furphy said in order for the state to keep moving forward, official responses to outbreaks and testing needed to be world class.
"We need to be planning for a harder and quicker hit in terms of being able to get very, very rapid and high numbers of testing, given that that seems to be the main weapon against this," he said.
"I would have thought that there really needs to be a number that we should be chasing in terms of how many tests need to occur in a 24-36 hour period."
Ms Sheed said lowered case numbers in Shepparton could be put down to the wearing of masks.
"That is such an important part of stopping the spread and that is showing up everywhere in the world now," she said.
'It makes you proud'
Shepparton residents have been praised for turning out in the thousands to get tested.
Mr Furphy said whether it was people getting tested or the communication coming from affected businesses, the response was fantastic.
"We're thankful," he said.
"It's really impressive — it actually does make you proud to be a Sheppartonion.
"I would be very surprised if that doesn't occur in any regional community where this might have happened.
"It's happening in Shepparton, but I think it's probably indicative of what would happen across the state."
Ms Sheed said the true nature of the community's spirit has been on display the past couple of days.
"Greater Shepparton City Council were handing out water and people were handing out apples," she said.
"A bakery dropped in some food for the guards working at the station."
There have been no further cases in the region.
"I'm really hopeful that we have dodged a bullet, in a sense," Ms Sheed said.
