Key points so far:

On Sunday, Premier Daniel Andrews outlined the process that he hopes will take the state towards a new 'Covid Normal' by Christmas time.

Outlined below are the four steps as they apply to regional Victoria. Note that the first step, which applies to metropolitan Melbourne, will not apply here.

This measure kicks in at 11.59pm on September 13. These are the changes:

The following will apply when regional Victoria reaches less than five cases on average over 14 days and zero cases with unknown source over 14 days:

This is perhaps the most controversial for regional businesses, as it groups both metropolitan residents and rural residents together. Premier Andrews said this would not take place until at least November 23, and only if there had been no new cases for 14 days state-wide. In this stage, the following would be allowed.

This happens when there are no new cases for 28 days and no active cases (state-wide) and no outbreaks of concern in other States and Territories.

Thanks for following. Here's our summary of the announcement today and what it means for Ballarat and regional Victorians.

There was widespread disappointment in Ballarat today at the lack of concrete dates offered by Premier Daniel Andrews' roadmap to recovery.

Under the state government's plan, a so-called "last step", which would allow all attractions to reopen and restaurants to resume indoor service, will not happen until at least November 23.

That is dependent on there being no new cases across Victoria for 14 full days in the run-up to that date.

There was anger within the business community at the measure as it ties workers in regional Victoria, where there are now just 98 active cases, to metropolitan Melbourne, where 1,734 are currently suffering from COVID-19 virus.

As of Sunday, there were just two active cases in Ballarat.

David Canny, president of the Victorian branch of the Australian Hotels Association, told The Courier the measures would force hospitality businesses under - and said he would campaign for the Federal Government to intervene.

There will be a very minor lifting of Stage 3 restrictions in regional Victoria beginning on September 14 under the so-called "Second Step". Meanwhile the more stringent Stage Four lockdown in metropolitan Melbourne will be extended for a further fortnight, albeit with a few easing in conditions.

Any further lifting of restrictions will largely depend on a further decline in new cases. The "Third Step" is contingent on there being less than five new cases on average over 14 days - as well as there being no cases with an unknown source.

The Courier calculates that the current increase in new cases stands at under six per day in regional Victoria over the past fortnight - and that figure has been inflated due by the cluster in the Colac-Otway local government area.

If cases continue to decline at the same rate as they have over the past week, it could mean the conditions for a "Third Step" happen around the same time the "Second Step" is due to kick in. It is unclear what would happen if that were the case.

There is also no clear timeline for when those in regional Victoria with loved ones in Melbourne would be able to travel to see them.

There was greater certainty, however, for schools in the regions. According to the measures outlined on Sunday, schools in regional areas will begin a phased return in Term 4.

Pupils across all age-groups expected to be back on site the week beginning October 12, with VCE and VCAL students able to return to school grounds the week before that.

Mr Andrews said he was aware the measures would be a disappointment. He repeatedly urged Victorians to "stay the course" to avoid any further lockdowns - and said he was aiming for "something approaching a normal Christmas."

This gives more detail on what is planned for when.

Already The Courier is hearing this is a massive disappointment for those running hospitality businesses. One person says it will ruin the industry.

There is no clear timeline. Chief health officer says it is likely to be when regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne are more closely aligned in terms of active cases.

Mr Andrews has reiterated that he is aiming for people to be able to spend Christmas with their loved ones.

This is the ultimate aim and will happen when there are no new cases for 28 days, no active cases (state-wide) and no outbreaks of concern in other States and Territories.

This is what will happen under those circumstances:

The "last step" as the Premier is calling it, will not happen until at least November 23, and is subject to no new cases happening for 14 days across Victoria.

There is no date for this yet in regional Victoria. This depends on the daily average number of cases in the last 14 days hitting less than five cases and if there no cases with an unknown source in the last 14 days.

This is what will happen when those conditions are met.

Regional Victoria will be able to move to the so-called "Second Step". This is what that entails, according to the government website (which seems to be buckling under the pressure):

Here are a few of the key points for Ballarat and regional Victoria:

From 11:59pm on 13 September, people living alone and single parents will also be able to have a bubble. Up to five people will be able to gather together in outdoor public places - the park, the beach - up to a maximum of two households. By limiting it to two households, we're again limiting the virus's ability to spread.

Outdoor pools and playgrounds in regional Victoria will also open. And religious services can be conducted outside with a maximum of five people, plus a faith leader.For schools and students, we'll begin a staged return to onsite learning from Term Four.

All VCE and VCAL students - in Melbourne and regional Victoria - will attend onsite for the General Achievement Test and other essential assessments from 5 October. In regional Victoria, all students will return to onsite learning between 12 and 16 October and in Melbourne, VCE and VCAL students and Prep to Grade 2 will also return for onsite learning from the 12 of October.

Key points from broadcast

Again Premier Andrews stresses how quickly it spreads:

See live broadcast below.

In case you didn't read our report yesterday on the planned Freedom Day protest in Bridge Mall - well, there was not a huge amount to see apart from a farmer's market and lots of police.

Read our full report here:

Freedom day protest: protest falls flat as Ballarat police issue multiple fines

Here's a reminder of what business and civic leaders in Ballarat said they wanted out of today's announcement earlier this week:

Coronavirus in Ballarat: Leaders call for certainty on easing restrictions

This is Ballarat-based Australian Hotels Association Victoria president and Red Lion publican David Canny:

A lot of attention has been focused on modelling work carried out by the University of Melbourne, which has also been released by the government. It suggests there is more than a one in two chance of another lockdown before the festive season if measures are eased when there are more than 25 cases per day. And that's as an average over 14-days. You should be able to read the modelling report below.

Note that we only have figures from Saturday. However, the trend in the city has been going in the right direction for the past week. As of yesterday, according to the DHHS, there were just two active cases in the Ballarat local government area.

Other numbers around the region as follows:

In Moorabool Shire there are still eight active cases, which is the same as yesterday, although there has been a downward trend this week. This number was as high as 14 at the start of the week.

In the Pyrenees Shire there remains one active case after the re-emergence of the virus more than a week ago.

According to the government postcode map, the case is in the Avoca postcode, but little more is known.

Traditionally one of the shires with the lowest virus numbers, there have been just three cases confirmed in the Pyrenees throughout the pandemic.

In Golden Plains there are zero active cases, while Hepburn remains without an active case, having had two in total.

Here are the full details of the COVID-19 cases in our region

That's certainly the line in the Herald-Sun. Here's today's front page.

As has been the trend in recent weeks, the DHHS has confirmed the number of new cases early in the day. They are down to their lowest level in weeks.

Here is this morning's report from AAP:

Victorians have been warned daily coronavirus cases might not be low enough by mid-September to safely ease restrictions, raising the prospect of more months under lockdown.

University of Melbourne modelling says based on current levels of social distancing, the 14-day case average is likely to be around 63 cases by the middle of the month.

The modelling released by the state government overnight on Saturday argues re- opening at this point would risk a resurgence, undoing all the gains achieved from lockdown.

On Friday, Victoria's 14-day case average was 116. On Sunday, it recorded 63 new cases and five more deaths.

This takes the state's total fatalities to 666 and the national death toll to 753. Premier Daniel Andrews was on Sunday expected to outline a pathway out of stage four restrictions for metropolitan Melbourne and stage three restrictions for regional Victoria.The restrictions, which were imposed for six weeks in August were due to end on September 13.

The government was holding meetings late into Saturday night to nail down how and when Melbourne and regional Victoria will come out of their lockdowns. The Victorian community and especially Melburnians, who have been subject to nightly curfews, workforce shutdowns, limits to local travel and bans on social visits, want relief.

The government has already flagged that single people who live alone could be permitted to have a visitor as concerns grow about the mental health effects of prolonged social isolation.

Mr Andrews said on Saturday the pathway out of the lockdown "will give us a 'COVID normal' that we can lock in so that as we look to Christmas and to 2021 we have every confidence we can have a stable set of rules".

Discontent in some quarters has grown throughout Melbourne's lockdown, with a small minority expressing opposition to the premier's cautious approach.Police arrested 17 people and issued at least 160 fines on Saturday for taking part in an anti-lockdown rally in the city.

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