‘Stay home’: Social distancing concerns as Victorians flock to hotspots

FIRST ON 3AW

It seems Victoria has decided it’s time to emerge, prompting concerns about a lack of social distancing and road safety.

3AW has been alerted to several reports of enormous crowds enjoying the outdoors yesterday.

Neil Mitchell was sent a video from a listener yesterday showing an unseasonally large amount of cars lining the road at the entrance of the Bushwalkers Bay Trail at Boneo.

A listener sent this video to Neil Mitchell

And the 3AW BREAKFAST Rumour File was this morning alerted to a video showing an extraordinary stretch of cars at the Redwood Forest.

VIDEO: Crowds flock to Redwood Forest, Warburton 

(Credit: Linus Wilson, Facebook)

Other listeners reported similarly large crowds at other natural landmarks, including the Yarra Valley.

Yarra Ranges councillor Jim Child told Kate and Stephen it was “too many people” and urged people to reconsider visiting until restrictions are further relaxed.

Click PLAY for full comments

“I think, if you can, possibly stay home and delay your visit until the further restrictions are relaxed,” he said.

“If you’re going to come and visit please – please – observe social distancing.”

Victorians are now allowed to travel to places of exercise and gather in groups of 10 outdoors, so there is no suggestion anyone was acting contrary to COVID-19 restrictions.

But the busy scenes have prompted locals to call on authorities to put measures in place to ensure better road safety and manage social distancing.

More to come on 3AW this morning…

LOCKDOWN EASING: What Victorians will be allowed to do from June 1