WANGARATTA, and the rest of regional Victoria, will move to the Third Step of restrictions from midnight tonight, following a 14-day average COVID-19 case number dropping to just 3.6.

From tomorrow residents will be able to leave home for any reason (mask required) which will be a great relief to many businesses in Wangaratta who’ve been hit with a massively reduced customer base since the pandemic began.

The city’s cafes, restaurants, beauticians and tattooists will be able to reopen, as will tourist accommodation businesses, however, they will only be allowed to provide services to clients from the local area or other parts of regional Victoria.