Communities in regional Victoria have been rewarded for their efforts under stage three coronavirus restrictions by moving to the third step on the roadmap for reopening.
Announcing the move from second step to the third step, Victorian premier Daniel Andrews, praised the efforts of regional Victoria.
'Well done' to all regional Victorians, he said.
It was only last week that the government announced the roadmap for reopening which had trigger points of five new cases a day and zero cases with an unknown source for the past 14 days.
Mr Andrews said the move to the third step was on the back a new case rate (Tuesday) of 3.6 average over 14 days in regional Victoria.
He said regional areas had reached the necessary trigger points of new cases and no new mystery cases.
Under the third step there were no reasons to leave home required or to travel within Victoria across all areas covered in the 'third step'.
Schools would also return to onsite learning from Term 4 with safety measures.
Other third step rules included having five people to a home (but from the household selected for the household bubble).
Outdoor hospitality venues will be able to open but with group limits of 10, as well as other density rules.
Also permitted is outdoor contact and non-contact sport for under-18, outdoor non-contact sport only for adults - with gathering and density limits applying.
For property sales, private inspections by appointment only were permitted and auctions were permitted outdoors, subject to gathering limits.
Rural Councils Victoria, which represents communities in 38 rural council areas across the state, welcomed the announcement.
"This latest announcement will allow rural Victorians to begin to get back to business and to a new kind of normal," RCV chair Cr Mary-Ann Brown said.
"I was absolutely delighted at what the Premier said, especially in saying well done to rural and regional Victorians and the tremendous work they have done.
She said Victorians should be "vigilant" during the move out of lockdown.