In another sign of normality, campgrounds are starting to fill up with Canberrans enthusiastic about the joy of open air and freedom post-lockdown.
"It's just refreshing compared to being in the house for two months," Jourdan Day said as he sat and gazed at the Cotter River from beside his tent.
"It's really nice," chipped in his partner Madeline Alegria.
She was enjoying being away from social media - the Cotter campground doesn't have phone coverage so it's a refuge from compulsive screen time. She was feeling no symptoms of withdrawal.
"At night, the sound of the river is great. And the birds, too," Salim Giri from Belconnen said.
"It's the first time camping for me, and I'm loving it."
He, his wife and son had pitched their tent alongside that of their friends to make a party of four adults and two young children.
"It's near to our home and it's really safe," neighbour Sam Gyawali said.
When booking for the ACT's seven campgrounds opened online, the allocation was exhausted within 30 minutes, said Peter Cotsell, the director of Namadgi National Park.
Because of COVID, numbers are restricted. Sites are "every other" - so there's a one-site gap blocked off between tents.
There are limits on the size of groups and social distancing remains, particularly in shower and barbecue areas.
People are urged not to just turn up in the expectation of finding space. If sites become vacant, they need to be booked online first.
Mr Cotsell has noticed a lot of the campers are newcomers.
"We are getting a lot of new people. They've got new tents," he said.
One theory is the lockdown has fired a yearning for the open air.
Not all the ACT campgrounds are open. Orroral remains closed because of bushfire damage in the area and access via a new bridge.
Just as campers are happy to be back camping, rangers are also delighted to be out working again.
"We are really excited to have the campgrounds open again," Rikki Ciolek said at the Cotter campground.
"It's lovely to be able to share the outdoors. I love seeing people in the outdoors."
The ranger in charge, Shelley Swain, said: "It's lovely having it all open again. It's wonderful. It's lovely to do the things in conservation."
She said prospective campers needed to try to book first to see which dates, if any, might be free.
"It's booked to capacity and we don't want people to arrive without a site available."
To check availability at Cotter, click or touch here or here.
