Dubbo's Robyn and Tony Croxon are counting the days until they are finally reunited with daughter Aimee, who they haven't seen since Christmas because of COVID-19 and closed state borders.
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Restrictions on travel between NSW and Victoria were lifted on Monday after four months.
Aimee, who lives in Melbourne, will fly back to her home town next week to see her family for the first time in 11 months, one of many for whom forced separation is finally ending.
Mrs Croxon said she and husband Tony, son Ben and Ben's partner Su Ching were really looking forward to the reunion.
"As soon as Aimee heard the border was opening she booked her flight to come home on Monday November 30," she said.
Mrs Croxon said they had planned to fly to Melbourne in May, but that was cancelled because of the lockdown when COVID-19 started.
Then Aimee's hopes of a trip home in July were thwarted because of the Victorian capital's second wave, which spelled more months of tough separation.
"We do phone and FaceTime regularly but that's not the same as seeing each other in person," Mrs Croxon said.
"I realise the border was closed for everyone's safety but it is really hard on loved ones when you are unable to visit each other and you don't know when the border will open."
- READ MORE: NSW-Victoria border opens, no local cases
Dubbo resident Sue Polak has her siblings, son and grandchild all living in Victoria, her home state.
"...we probably wouldn't have gone home within that space of time, but the one thing that kind of makes you think about it is that you are cut off," she said.
"...it hasn't really affected us, apart from the fact if I wanted to go, I couldn't - and they couldn't get out either.
"But we are talking about March, having a big family get-together, just to make sure everything's safe and sound and hopefully there's a vaccine by then as well."
Taronga Western Plains Zoo anticipates more visitors with the border's opening.
"We are looking forward to welcoming Victorians travellers back to the zoo over the coming months," zoo director Steve Hinks said.
"Just in the past week we have seen a number of Queensland travellers visiting the zoo since the border reopened. The interstate market plays a significant part of the zoo's overall visitation, with Dubbo being a popular stopover point for families travelling in the summer school holidays to visit friends and relatives.
"We have only had a couple of inquiries about staying overnight at the zoo from Victorians so far, but we anticipate this will increase over the coming weeks."
Faye Wheeler
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
