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Victoria travel restrictions | Where you can go in January 2021

We shed some light on where you can go, what's open and how to get around now that regional travel is permitted in Victoria.

Stephanie Yip
Stephanie Yip

Updated . What changed?

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Aerial shot of a coastal road near Lorne, Victoria.

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As of 9 November, all Victorians are free to travel around the state for a holiday.

On the list of places you can visit are the Great Ocean Road, Mount Hotham, the Yarra and Gippsland. To name a small handful.

When you do travel, you should adhere to physical distancing, good hygiene practices and you should also avoid contact with the vulnerable.

Face masks are no longer mandatory outdoors but must still be worn indoors, except in your home, while eating and drinking or if an exemption applies.

This guide has all the ins and outs so you don't get caught on the back foot when you travel around the state.

If you're headed to Melbourne you can get the latest on attraction, restaurant and public space openings in our what's open in Melbourne guide.

Accommodation in Victoria

Staying in accommodation, including in hotels, motels and campgrounds is permitted.

Visiting and staying at another person's home is permitted, with the current home gathering limit being 15 people. This includes children but excludes the members of the household.

Can I stay with family or friends?

You can stay overnight with friends or family anywhere in Victoria. This is limited to a total of 15 visitors per home per day.

It's still recommended however that the vulnerable and elderly should limit the number of guests in their homes.

Can I stay at hotels?

Yes. All Victorians can stay in hotels with private facilities for their guests, including bathrooms and kitchens, can re-open for leisure travellers.

When you arrive there may be extra hygiene precautions in place. This might include an a la carte breakfast in lieu of a buffet-style one and limitations on the number of guests at the pool and gym at any one time.

Interstate travellers can book a hotel. However, you may need to self-isolate upon your return based on your state's current restrictions.

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Can I stay at private or rented holiday homes?

All Victorians are permitted to stay in a holiday home, private or rented. This includes visiting it to check up on it.

Gathering limits are currently set at 15 people per household. This is likely to be the limit in private and rented holiday homes as well.

Staying at hostels

Hostels across the state are reopening with enhanced hygiene measures in place. Private and family rooms are available for members of the same household only, while multi-share rooms have reduced occupancy in line with the physical distancing rules.

Hostels such as the YHA have increased the cleaning of high-touch surfaces and hand sanitiser is available.

Communal facilities may be closed or restricted to allow for only a certain number of guests at any one time.

Am I able to go camping and caravanning?

Victorians may stay in campgrounds and caravan parks across the state.

Communal facilities have reopened and are being cleaned regularly. Despite this increased cleaning, you should still maintain good hygiene when using these facilities. This includes washing your hands for 20 seconds and coughing into your elbow or a tissue which is appropriately disposed of.

There are no restrictions on the number of people who can stay at a campsite. However, groups must be kept to a minimum with private gathering limits currently set at 15.

Physical distancing rules with other campers apply and pre-booking is highly recommended.

Can I go boating or yachting?

Yes. Boating and yachting is permitted either alone, with members of your household or up to 15 other people and can travel wherever you like.

Overnight stays on boats, including houseboats, are permitted so long as the boat is self-contained. That is, it must provide its own kitchen and bathroom facilities and is only for use by those staying on the vessel.

Gathering limits apply based on social distancing rules.

Tourist attractions in Victoria

Outdoor and indoor tourist attractions in Victoria have been given the green light to reopen, with restriction. This includes zoos, amusement parks, cinemas, theatres, museums and gaming venues.

The four square metre rule applies for all attractions and indoor venues such as cinemas, museums and galleries are capped at 150 people per space. Due to this, timed ticketing may be in place.

To help weed out what's open and what's not, RedBalloon and Adrenaline has marked specific products with a "Now Open" stamp.

Some popular Victorian attractions that have reopened are below. We will update this list as attractions reopen.

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Can I visit national parks?

National parks across the state are open for exercise and overnight camping. Campsites may require pre-booking. Check the Parks Victoria website before heading out to avoid disappointment.

Once you're at the park, be vigilant about social distancing by staying 1.5 metres away from other hikers and campers.

  • Dandenong Ranges
  • Grampians National Park
  • St Kilda Pier and Breakwater (Penguin viewing platform is closed)
  • Wilsons Promontory National Park
  • Major sites along the Great Ocean Road (including Port Campbell and Great Otway)
  • Yarra Ranges National Park
  • Mornington Peninsula National Park

Are beaches and local parks open?

In Melbourne alone, there are over 480 hectares of parks and gardens open for exploring and picnicking. Here are some popular parks open in Melbourne:

  • Catani Gardens
  • Flagstaff Gardens
  • Carlton Gardens
  • Docklands Park
  • Fitzroy Gardens
  • Kings Domain
  • Queen Victoria Gardens
  • Treasury Gardens
  • Birrarung Marr
  • JJ Holland Park
  • Royal Park
  • Shrine of Remembrance Reserve

While these are open you may only enter them under strict guidelines. This includes living within 5km of these green spaces and only using them for exercise purposes.

Are ski areas open?

All ski areas in Victoria are closed for the 2020 season. When they were open only those living outside hotspots were permitted to visit and all resorts required you to pre-purchase your lift passes to maintain limited capacity numbers.

  • Mount Buller: Closed for the season
  • Mount Stirling: Closed for the season
  • Mount Hotham: Closed for the season
  • Falls Creek: Closed for the season
  • Mount Buffalo: No ski lifts, only back country style alpine skiing and boarding
  • Lake Mountain: Closed for the season

Getting to and from your holiday

Can I drive anywhere within Victoria?

There are no limitations when driving your own vehicle for anyone living in Victoria.

If you're hiring a car there may be additional protocols in place – including when you pick it up and drop it off. For example, Europcar has a zero-contact policy where the keys are disinfected and put in a sealed envelope for you to pick up.

Am I able to fly within Victoria?

There are limited intrastate routes within Victoria, but you are still permitted to fly on them.

While you can travel to other states and territories, you will need to comply with their rules which may involve a 14-day isolation period. As of 1 January, all states and territories are open to Victorians aside from Western Australia.

Victoria has temporarily shut its border with South Australia until further notice.

Added safety measures are in place when you fly to ensure a healthy environment. You'll notice enhanced cleaning and masks and sanitising wipes for all customers.

As of 8 January 2021, face masks are mandatory on all domestic and international flights.

Are coach services operating within Victoria?

You can travel by coach between Victorian cities with certain restrictions.

  • PTV: Public coach services are running, with select service changes. Buses from Geelong to Lorne and Apollo Bay now stop at Waurn Ponds Shopping Centre and there is an increase in services to Stawell and Halls Gap and from Daylesford to Woodend.

Many chartered coach services, including those with Victoria Coaches, Melbourne Bus Company and Dysons, are still running. You'll need to contact them for a quote.

Greyhound has resumed its services from Melbourne to Sydney and Canberra.

Murrays have suspended all interstate services departing Melbourne until further notice.

Are train services operating within Victoria?

PTV services: All services are running as normal. There are no passenger limits; however, Victorians are advised to travel on its services less, if possible, avoid peak hours and to keep your distance on escalators, platforms and in trains.

Public Transport Victoria is cleaning high-touch surfaces daily.

V/line: You can still travel by train to regional destinations such as Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Gippsland and Seymour. Trains between South Australia and Victoria are running, but services to New South Wales have stopped temporarily with trains finishing their journey at the last stop before the border.

As part of its hygiene and safety protocol, staff and coach drivers won't accept cash as payment. Instead, please use your myki or a paper ticket purchased from the station.

If you've purchased your ticket online, V/Line is temporarily accepting your ticket confirmation as a printout or on your smartphone.

All trains are being cleaned frequently.

Regional services: The Overland, which journeys between Adelaide and Melbourne resumed on 3 January 2021.

The Great Southern which travels from Brisbane to Adelaide via NSW and Victoria is suspended until January 2021 with no specific return date yet.

Which states and territories can I travel to?

Due to the ongoing pandemic, the state and territory border restrictions are continuously changing.

  • To NSW: The Victorian border is closed to NSW and anyone returning from NSW will have to quarantine in Victoria for 14 days.
  • To Queensland: Borders are open though a border pass is required to enter.
  • To Western Australia: Borders are closed to Victorians and anyone entering will have to undergo mandatory quarantine.
  • To South Australia: Borders are open though Victorians entering South Australia are required to fill in a permit before arrival.
  • To Tasmania: Borders are open. All arrivals must fill in a g2g pass.
  • To the ACT: Borders are open.
  • To the Northern Territory: Borders are open to Victorians.

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Frequently asked questions about travelling in Victoria during COVID-19

How far can I travel from home?

There are no limitations on how far Victorians can travel.

Whenever out in public it is mandatory for you to wear a mask. Failure to do so can result in a fine.

Are there any regional travel restrictions?

No. With the removal of Melbourne's "ring of steel" on 9 November you can now travel throughout Victoria without restriction.

Can I travel to Victoria if I live in another state or territory?

Yes. Victoria's borders are open to everyone except for anyone living in a red zone. Anyone returning from a red zone will need to quarantine for 14 days.

All states and territories, except Western Australia, has reopened to Victorians.

Do I need to limit the number of people I travel with?

Up to 100 people may gather in an outdoor setting with no limit on the number of households present. Indoor/private gatherings are capped at 15 however, so keep this in mind.

Physical distancing is required when gathering with people outside of your household.

Do I need to pre-book to visit dining venues and attractions?

Pubs and restaurants across the state can have up to 25 patrons without needing to consider a density limit.

Otherwise, indoor and outdoor dining venues are subject to a 1 person per 2 square metre rule.

As there are still restrictions, you might have to pre-book. Check with the venue before arriving to avoid disappointment.

Will I need to self-isolate or go into quarantine when I return from my trip?

No. There is no need to self-isolate or quarantine when travelling around Victoria. Quarantine is required for anyone returning from New South Wales.

If you are feeling unwell when you return and are showing flu-like symptoms, you should call the COVID-19 hotline on 1800 675 398 immediately for advice.

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