Melbourne's Lockdown To End; Live Music Venues To Face New 'Density Limits'

The Victorian State Government has announced today that Melbourne's lockdown will end at 11.59pm tomorrow.

Announced by Acting Premier James Merlino today, the city will exit the lockdown and the move away from the 'five reasons to leave home' restrictions, with new restrictions to be introduced. 

These restrictions include new limitations on capacities for entertainment venues, as listed below.

Metropolitan Melbourne entertainment venues are limited to the following restrictions: 

• Indoor non-seated entertainment venues: Closed
• Indoor fixed seated entertainment: Open up to 25% of seated capacity up to a maximum of 50 people per venue. Group limit of 10 people. Density quotient of 1 person per 4sqm applies
• Outdoor fixed seated entertainment: Open up to 50% of seated capacity up to a maximum of 100 people per venue. Density quotient of 1 person per 4sqm applies

Regional Victorian entertainment venues are limited to the following restrictions:

• Indoor non-seated entertainment venues: Open to a maximum of 75 people per venue. Density quotient of 1 person per 4sqm applies
• Indoor fixed seated entertainment: Open up to 50% of seated capacity up to a maximum of 75 people per venue. Group limit of 10 people. Density quotient of 1 person per 4 sqm applies in non-seated areas
• Outdoor fixed seated entertainment: Open up to 50% of seated capacity up to a maximum of 150 people per venue. Density quotient of 1 person per 4sqm applies

Further announcements around restrictions are expected next week pending Victoria's COVID case numbers.

It's been announced that restaurants and cafes are confirmed to return to a maximum of 100 people across the entire venue, with a maximum of 50 allowed indoors. Nightclubs will not be able to reopen.

Other changes include masks now only being needed to indoors or in outdoor settings where social distancing can't be maintained, the 10km travel limit increase to 25km from home.

More to come.