The tourist mecca of Daylesford was awash with puffer jackets, activewear and well-heeled Melburnians escaping the clutches of the city for some country air this long weekend.
Restrictions on overnight travel in Victoria were eased on June 1, as part of the State Government's cautious relaxation of health measures.
Tourist hot spots like Daylesford, Dunkeld and Port Fairy were among the first beneficiaries of the return to trade.
The Great Australian Dream
Robert Beckman travelled to Daylesford as part of a group of six couples sharing a guest house.
Golfing, coffee drinking and walking up Mount Franklin were among activities on their agenda.
"As Darryl Kerrigan [from The Castle] would say: It's the serenity," Mr Beckman said.
"It's good for the soul. It's beautiful to get out into nature," his friend Pam Cook added.
Aayush Khatwala and his pregnant wife Megha, who are expecting their baby to arrive next month, enjoyed a gentle stroll while posing for happy snaps at Daylesford's lake.
The couple, who live in Melbourne, said it had been great to sneak in a day-trip to the country side ahead of becoming parents.
"It's so beautiful. We like the [reflections] of the trees on the lake," Mrs Khatwala said.
No vacancy
Securing a room for the long weekend was easier said than done.
Clonmara boutique accommodation in Port Fairy put out the 'No Vacancy' sign early this week.
All of their cottages are full for the first time since March.
"It's been quiet stressful for us," said owner-manager, Anna Wagg.
"We've had to use a lot of our savings to get by, but it's coming right now which is good — the town's pumping."
Ms Wagg's extended family is all in the tourist trade: her mother and sister own similar cottages, while her brother-in-law sells crepes on the town's main street.
Despite a promising weekend, she is still concerned about her family's future.
"I've got four kids as well. We can't really make any long-term decisions at the moment with regards to anything — we're living day-by-day," she said.
"This month's fine but July, August and September are still very quiet. Usually we'd have a lot more bookings than we've got at the moment."
Safety first
While the main streets were busy, cafes and shops emerged as something of a safe haven.
Boutique owner and fashion designer Victoria Varrasso is taking extra precautions to protect herself, staff and customers at Manteau Noir.
"We're only allowing four customers in the store at once and we ask them to wash their hands in our in store sink upon arrival," she said.
And it's having a positive impact; limiting customer numbers is driving greater sales.
"In the past … we could have had 250 people come through the door on a Saturday. Of that maybe 15-20 per cent purchased," she said
"By limiting the numbers in the store, we can actually provide a much greater level of customer service and that's translating into revenue."
Hepburn Springs busker Sean Dixon was playing Paul Kelly's From Little Thing Big Things Grow, outside the supermarket in Daylesford.
"It's been a few months [since I had an audience] it's been really nice to come back and start playing again," Mr Dixon said.
"It's a nice birthday busk. I've just come out to have some fun and bring some music to the area because obviously no one's heard live music for a long time."
