By Luke Voogt
Residents and a local MP have warned holiday-makers to stay away from the Surf Coast and Bellarine Peninsula over the Easter long weekend amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Torquay-based MP Andy Meddick urged people to respect locals by staying away from their beaches, warning they could face expensive fines without a legitimate reason to travel.
“I understand things are tough right now,” the Member for Western Victoria said.
“Over the Easter weekend many will just want to get away and come down to the Surf Coast for a paddle.
“I don’t blame them, I’ve lived here for many years and know just how beautiful it is and how good the surf can be.
“But the rules only work if they apply to everyone. Slowing the spread of coronavirus and saving lives requires all of us to listen to the advice, follow the rules and use a bit of common sense.”
Indented Head resident Alena, who wished not to disclose her surname, took aim at holiday house owners travelling to the Bellarine Peninsula.
“[There are] too any holiday-makers in their holiday homes,” she said.
“They must be told to go home to their permanent residence, as this isn’t their primary residence.”
Alena said she and friends were “fed up” with people from out of town who had failed to “consider locals’ safety”.
The holiday-makers also put nearby aged care centres at risk, she said.
“In the meantime, our local supermarkets … have a lack of groceries due to the holiday-makers coming up here.”
Other Surf Coast and Bellarine residents have told the Indy that many holiday homes are currently occupied.
Surf Coast Shire also urged non-permanent residents to not to come to their holiday homes in coming weeks.
“This year, we are urging anyone considering leaving their usual home to avoid heading down the coast – both to save vital health resources and for their own safety,” Surf Coast Shire Mayor Rose Hodge said.
“It’s time for Victorians to do the right thing and stop looking for loopholes of how not to stay at home.
“This is not your usual Easter. The sooner we limit the spread, the sooner life can return to normal and we can start to plan holidays again – when we will welcome everyone back with open arms.”
Earlier this week Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton stated that families who travelled to holiday homes during the Easter long weekend would not face fines.
If travellers went straight to their holiday homes and stayed there the risk was “manageable and acceptable”, he said.
But at same time Professor Sutton encouraged families to resist the temptation to travel and to stay at their main place of residence.
“If you don’t have to leave home, please don’t leave home,” he said.
Professor Sutton warned holiday home owners could be unwelcome in coastal towns, especially if seen on the streets or mixing with people from host communities.
“If they are seen by those host communities to be doing that, they will rightly be pointed out,” he said.
“We certainly don’t want people going to communities and causing concern because they are not following the directives that we’ve laid out.”
