Police have thanked the community for abiding by COVID restrictions during the long weekend, on what is usually one of gathering in a group around a barbecue and watching the AFL grand final.
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The long weekend, and much-anticipated game between Victorian clubs the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne, came after Ballarat was released from a week-long lockdown on September 23.
As well as patrolling the New South Wales border and being deployed to assist in Melbourne, local police officers are continuing to enforce the Chief Health Officer's directions and respond to reported breaches, including proactively through various police operations.
Ballarat police's Acting Senior Sergeant Paul Allen said there were no major issues for police in the city across the weekend, and no reports of large gatherings.
"We thank the community for adhering to the restrictions in what is traditionally a time of gathering. It helps with the COVID response," he told The Courier.
We thank the community for adhering to the restrictions in what is traditionally a time of gathering. It helps with the COVID response
- Acting Senior Sergeant Paul Allen
"Even though restrictions have been going on for a while, everyone has been committed and is staying strong."
Operation Guardian, which involves about 200 police tasked to protect regional Victoria from unauthorised travellers, includes visible police patrols on regional arterials and back roads.
It includes random checkpoints being set-up, roving patrols and utilising ANPR technology to detect and identify people travelling in vehicles registered to people with residential addresses in Melbourne.
Police Operation Sentinel is also ongoing.
It involves proactive patrols of shopping centres and other places of gathering to ensure compliance with restrictions.
Meanwhile, there were also no issues reported in popular Daylesford throughout the weekend.
Daylesford Police Sergeant Tim Kennedy said the police presence was highly visible across the area on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
To mitigate the potential for an influx of tourists, extra police from Melbourne, Protective Services Officers and Australian Defence Force personnel were deployed to the area.
Checkpoints were set-up at both Bacchus Marsh and Hepburn throughout the weekend so compliance checks could be carried out.
Sergeant Kennedy said the vast majority of people did the right thing and no infringements were issued.
Acting Senior Sergeant Allen said other units could be called upon to strengthen the police response in the region if required.
Anybody who witnesses a breach of restrictions is encouraged to contact the Police Assistance Line on 131 444.
