Travel permit for fire preparedness

The Victorian Government recently announced travel exemptions for people living in Melbourne who own a property in regional Victoria, for the sole purpose of preparing their property for an emergency, including flood or fire.

Travel to regional Victoria to complete the works requires written approval from the local Council, which is separate to a formal Fire Prevention Notice.

You can also travel if you have received a Fire Prevention Notice requiring you to undertake fire preparedness work on that property.

Fill out the online form to apply for a travel permit to undertake works on a property for emergency purposes.

If you haven’t received a Fire Prevention Notice and would like to travel to your property in Mount Alexander Shire, to undertake emergency preparation works before an emergency, please complete and submit the form below to apply.

If accepted, you will be provided with a letter of support allowing you to travel under the scheme to undertake the fire and emergency preparation works specified in your application. Please allow up to three business days for the permit approval process, and up to five business days for subsequent permits.

Prior to applying for permission to travel, property owners living in metropolitan Melbourne are encouraged to engage the services of a local resident or contractor to conduct the preparation works to limit the need to travel.

To ensure the safety of all Victorians, the Chief Health Officer has outlined the property owner will be required to:

• travel within a defined and maximum 72 hour period requested by them
• can only stay overnight at the property if required
• wear a fitted mask at all times and
• obey all restrictions in place at their primary address.

The property owner and household members can travel to undertake the works, and an owner can apply for another permit if they need to return for more emergency preparation works.

If you are approved to travel to Mount Alexander Shire to undertake property preparation works, the Second Step restrictions remain with you while you are here in the shire. For example, that means you cannot dine in at a café or restaurant or access a personal beauty service. Thank you for helping to keep our community safe.

For information on the current Second Step restrictions, visit the Department of Health and Human Services website.

For more information and frequently asked questions visit www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/emergencies-and-coronavirus-covid-19.

To see the full details of the Public Health Directions visit www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/victorias-restriction-levels-covid-19.