After 262 days, residents in the world’s most lockdown city are waking up to their very own Freedom Day today, with Covid restrictions in Melbourne finally eased

At 12.01 early this morning, cheers were heard throughout the city as people took to their balconies and the streets to celebrate: take a look

For 77 days, residents have been subjected to strict stay-at-home orders, with a curfew imposed between 9pm and 5am daily, and only five reasons to leave your home… whilst retail, hospitality and entertainment sectors were largely brought to a grinding halt.

There have been violent protests, following the construction industry shutting down for two weeks, with Covid vaccines being mandated for the workforce.

What changes?

From today, restrictions on Melbournians leaving their homes will be lifted, private gatherings are allowed, restaurants, bars and cafes will re-open for seated service and life will slowly return to normal.

In this footage, you can hear excited residents singing Madonna’s “I Rise”

The city has endured six lockdowns in total, with the first totalling 43 days between March 30 and May 12, 2020.

The second lockdown was the longest, with 112 days of stay-at-home orders, between July 8 and October 27 2020.

Lockdowns three, four and five were all relatively short, and lockdown six ends today… after 77 days from August 5 to 11:59pm on October 21.

Prior to Melbourne’s extensive and extended stay-at-home orders, the city held the title of the world’s most liveable city for seven years in a row and was the fastest-growing urban area in Australia.

But as many other major cities right around the world began to open up and move back to normality, Melbourne’s retail, hospitality and entertainment sectors remained shut and the city lost its spark.

Meanwhile, countless festivals, shows, events, weddings, birthdays and dinners have been either canceled or postponed.

This is Chapel Street in the popular suburb of South Yarra when excited residents emerged from lockdown at 11.59pm Thursday night.

Today’s easing comes as the state of Victoria reaches its first major vaccine milestone, with 70 per cent of all eligible residents now double dosed against Covid-19.

Since the state government’s first declaration of a state of emergency on March 16 in 2020, more than 71,000 people have contracted the virus and over 990 have died.

“This is for you Melbourne”