MILDURA Regional Development (MRD) says it remains optimistic that visitors will be able to enjoy an Easter in Sunraysia “with some style”, albeit with some restrictions in place.
MRD chief executive Brett Millington said he hoped the continued easing of COVID-19 restrictions would enable most of the region’s bumper motorsports weekend events to go ahead, including the Mildura 100 ski race and the popular Show ‘n’ Shine display.
However, Mr Millington said that while a vaccine was the silver bullet to the pandemic, events could still proceed in a modified fashion should the country continue to ward off the pandemic.
He said the return of international arrivals to Melbourne this week would be a key moment in the region enjoying as normal an Easter as possible.
“I hate to use the word optimistic because we’ve gone that way a few times, but it was only a month ago that we were talking about various limitations and then all of a sudden things are going the other way,” Mr Millington said.
“The increasing number of gatherings outside gives me hope that at Easter we will be able to welcome those people and do it with some style.
“Perhaps it wouldn’t be the unfettered numbers that you would normally have at Easter gatherings, but we may be able to work through some of the challenges.”
Mr Millington said he anticipated further easing of restrictions on Sunday after almost 40 days of no new cases and no deaths across Victoria and that the hotel quarantining of return travellers would be an “interesting test”.
“You know that everyone will be watching it very closely,” he said.
“At least it appears that we have eliminated it from our community and, if there are no cases between states, then you don’t have that risk, but that hotel quarantine where you have got people coming in is another matter.”
MRD estimated this year’s Easter cancellation due to COVID-19 cost the local economy $10 million.
Mr Millington said that while hotel and motel accommodation remained low, local caravan parks had picked up the pace.
“After the first wave in Melbourne, people had been in caravans travelling around just to get out of Melbourne, but then they became trapped within Victoria because of all the closures around them,” he said.
“That’s perhaps why we’ve seen a lot more people around than there normally would be.
“They tend to be the longer-term stayers and therefore the drive out of Melbourne I think will be Christmas holidays because they are not going to make a weekend drive to Mildura.
“Clearly Ballarat, Bendigo and everything within a couple of hours’ drive of Melbourne has been heavily populated, but for us around Christmas and into January is where we will probably see more significant stays in terms of hotel accommodation.”
Mr Millington said houseboat holidays had been “well and truly very popular” with some operators booked out until April next year.
