Melbourne has awakened from its COVID-19 lockdown slumber, with city dwellers revelling in newfound freedoms for the first time in months.
Loud cheering and applause broke out from apartment buildings and in the streets the moment the city's sixth lockdown ended at 11.59pm on Thursday.
Melburnians dropped into pubs and restaurants to celebrate with a late-night drink or feed, while others headed to hairdressers for a much-needed snip.
Hairdresser Joey Scandizzo opened his South Yarra salon at midnight to five lucky people for a makeover before getting straight back to business on Friday morning.
The salon, which would normally service 100 clients a day, has only 40 bookings for Friday due to restrictions only allowing five patrons at a time.
Their phones have been ringing off the hook and the salon is already booked out until December.
"People are booking their appointments now and then booking the next one just because of the backlog," Mr Scandizzo told AAP.
"It feels brilliant to be open. Obviously being shut down for 12 weeks is no good for business. We're just hoping that this is the last lockdown. We can't go through this again."
Melbourne is considered the most locked-down city in the world, having endured 263 days under stay-at-home orders since March 2020. The latest lockdown lasted 77 days.
Mr Scandizzo's clients are being asked if they are vaccinated when they book before having their vaccine passport checked once they arrive.
Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp was among late-night revellers at Angel Music Bar on Bourke Street, saying she didn't want to miss the moment.
"The buzz is officially back," she said.
Premier Daniel Andrews agreed there was a "big vibe" of optimism around the city.
"I'm trying not to sound like some kind of soppy dad here, but I am proud, bloody proud of this state," he tweeted.
One lucky Melburnian is also exiting lockdown $60 million richer after winning Thursday night's Powerball jackpot.
The ticket was sold from an inner-city outlet but its owner remains a mystery.
It comes as Victoria recorded 2189 new COVID-19 cases and 16 deaths on Friday, the highest daily tally of the state's third wave.
The health department confirmed the numbers in a new daily data graphic featuring hospitalisation figures, a key metric authorities will monitor as the city reopens.
There are 784 Victorians in hospital, with 145 in intensive care including 94 on a ventilator. The seven-day average stands at 794.
The latest deaths lift the toll from the current outbreak to 203.
Meanwhile, Victoria is expected to scrap quarantine requirements for fully-vaccinated Australians arriving from overseas, bringing the state into line with NSW.
Cabinet ministers met on Thursday night to reportedly sign off the plan, which could come into effect as early as November 1.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said it would be good news and restated returning Australians would likely be first in line, before skilled workers and tourists.
"We've got the great Australian Open (in Melbourne) and we want to see that open to the world," he told Melbourne radio 3AW.
