Patrons have wasted no time in tasting freedoms at Dubbo, flocking back to stores, salons and pubs reopening on Monday as lockdown lifted.
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The city's centre sprang to life early in the day as people fully vaccinated against COVID were welcomed back inside businesses for the first time in two months.
Lockdown ended at Dubbo along with the rest of the state, which last week reached the 70 per cent double-dose vaccination milestone, the trigger for easing restrictions on what some dubbed "Freedom Day".
Dubbo Chamber of Commerce president Matt Wright was among the lunchtime patrons through the doors of the Commercial Hotel, which could finally serve beers and meals again.
Earlier in the day he was happy to report of a central business district (CBD) being revived.
"It's the first time I've driven down the main street and not been annoyed I couldn't get a car park," he said.
"Certainly there's a hive of activity down there in the CBD of Dubbo this morning.
"A lot of people who have been locked up for the past couple of months and are pretty keen and eager to get out and about, so the shops are busy."
The eased restrictions mean retail deemed non-essential, hair and beauty salons, hospitality venues, gyms, hotels and clubs can open to the double-vaccinated, with capacity limits and other COVID-safe procedures.
"I think there seems to be fairly solid activity outside a lot of those personal service-type businesses, your hairdressers and salons and those sorts of places," Mr Wright said.
"There's literally queues out the door of a couple of those, I've just noticed, so I think they'll be the businesses that will be immediately very very busy over the coming week or two."
"And certainly there will be some strong activity through some of those hospitality venues over the course of the week as well, I would say."
Prior to reopening, businesses expressed concerns about policing vaccination compliance.
Mr Wright reminded everyone it was "new territory" and urged them to behave accordingly.
"The message from the chamber for at least the next four to six weeks is be kind, and be understanding, be considerate, and that goes both ways, for business owners and shoppers as well," he said.
"We're all in new territory, I hope everyone out there is trying to do the right thing, and certainly business owners will be trying to do the right thing, so, if there's any message the chamber is sending out at the moment, it's be kind."
Men queued up at barbershops from early Monday morning as the city got back to business.
Salons reported of having strong bookings as they returned to trading.
"We're really happy to be back, and we're really busy and looking forward to seeing everyone's smiling faces back in the salon again," Touch of Beauty salon owner Christine Austin said.
"It's good, it's just nice to be wanted again, and I feel like we're more essential than they think we are.
"After that, I think we're definitely more essential than they think we are."
Shopper Sue Egan had checked in to enter Myer when she spoke to the Daily Liberal.
"It's lovely to see everybody back on the streets and around town, and cars," she said.
"Just go and sit down and have a coffee, it's wonderful."
Ms Egan was adopting precautions and was not anxious about leaving home.
"No, I haven't been worried at all," she said.
You're masked up, you sanitise, you check-in, keep things going.
- Shopper Sue Egan
"You're masked up, you sanitise, you check-in, keep things going.
"We've all got to do what we have to do and we'll eventually get there."
Myer attracted shoppers as it went back to business, with check-in and a security guard outside the entrance.
"We've loved welcoming our loyal Dubbo customers back into the store today, with our team members ready and waiting to offer the service and brands our customers trust within a safe shopping environment," Myer Dubbo store manager Justin Cole said.
"With the mandated health measures in place, it means entering the store looks a little different to normal, but once in store, our team members were ready to make our customers shopping experience as convenient, enjoyable and safe as possible.
It's been an exciting day after months of the store being closed and the Dubbo team are loving doing what they do best - serving our loyal customers.
- Myer Dubbo store manager Justin Cole
"It's been an exciting day after months of the store being closed and the Dubbo team are loving doing what they do best - serving our loyal customers."
Orana Mid-Western Police District commander Superintendent Daniel Sullivan said the force would continue patrolling Dubbo and checking vaccination passports.
Officers on bicycles were present in the main street on Monday.
The Western NSW Local Health District reported 13 new cases of COVID-19 across the region identified in the 24 hours to 8 pm Sunday, among them two at Dubbo.
While a large number of businesses reopened on Monday, a handful have advised of reopening in the coming days.
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