Melody Bryan, originally from Hamilton, with husband Lindsay and son, Hamish, 5. Photo / Supplied
Melody Bryan, originally from Hamilton, with husband Lindsay and son, Hamish, 5. Photo / Supplied
Kiwis living in Melbourne are bracing themselves for an imminent announcement about how the stage 4 lockdown will affect their lives.
Victorian Premier Dan Andrews announced stage-4 restrictions - and a state of disaster - for Melbourne yesterday afternoon, including a curfew from 8pm (10pm NZT) to 5am (7am NZT) for anyone living in the metropolitan area.
The announcement comes after 671 new cases of Covid-19 yesterday along with seven deaths.
The premier declared a state of disaster in addition to the state of emergency and said he had been left with "no alternative" but to impose the harsher restrictions on Melbourne.
For Sophie L'Estrange, 24, the last six months have been a rollercoaster of unfortunate events, as she was moving from one lockdown to another.
Born in Auckland, L'Estrange moved to Sydney with her parents when she was young before moving back to New Zealand a few years ago to do her studies for her Masters in Diabetes.
She graduated at the end of 2018 before getting a year-long maternity contract with the Auckland DHB. That role was about to come to an end when New Zealand went into lockdown which she endured.
Her goal was to get to Melbourne to finally be closer to her partner who she met prior to coming to New Zealand. However, she was due to fly into Melbourne on June 30 when Victoria closed its borders.
Instead, she flew to her parents in Brisbane and completed two weeks in personally paid quarantine before making plans to finally get into Melbourne.
Fortunately, the state was letting people fly in but not out, which saved her a 20-hour drive.
However, nearly two weeks in Melbourne and having applied for a couple of jobs, it's now going into larger-scale lockdown.
The only bonus is that she had finally moved in with her partner after the pair had been long distance for nearly four years.
Despite Melbourne effectively being in a similar level 3 lockdown in recent weeks, many Australians had been carrying on as usual.
Former Aucklander Sophie L'Escargot and partner Harrison Wraight are finally back together after spending the last 3 1/2 years apart. Photo / Supplied
"The rules are a bit different here despite being alert level 3. The shops are still open, cafes are open, you can get a takeaway coffee, can exercise.
"I watch the news and have become quite tearful and emotional listening to the Premier who I think is doing the best job that he can and imagine that he would be so frustrated by the number of people who just won't listen.
"I go for a run and people are just sitting around ... there's lots of cars on the streets so people are going places and Bunnings is busy, I don't quite feel like I'm in lockdown."
However, she had no regrets about finally making the move.
"Absolutely no regrets, I'm finally with my partner which was what the end goal was, it's just a shame we can't go and enjoy Melbourne ... my partner and I have taken up painting and board games and going to do lots of cooking but it's interesting."
Her partner, an architect, was still working but nervous about today's announcement as it may not be classified as an essential service.
Meanwhile in Bonbeach, Melody Bryan is seven months pregnant with her and husband, Lindsay's, second child.
Like L'Escargot and the rest of Victoria, she's keen to hear what businesses will be affected by the level 4 restrictions.
While she believed it was unlikely her husband - who works in electricity distribution - would be affected, her job at Monash University could be one of a few hundred axed.
Monash is the country's largest university - so big it even has its own postcode - with 16,000 staff and 40,000 students.
Bryan, originally from Hamilton, has been living in Melbourne since 2011.
When asked about the new lockdown measures, Bryan said she had been working from home since March and had established a good routine.
Victoria had alleviated some financial pressures from parents after paying for childcare; in her case $127 a day, for the past few months. However, that finished up at the end of June.
She said they'd been fortunate so far to both have kept their jobs and hoped that would continue. However, she wasn't sure how they would manage childcare while both working full time and their 5-year-old in the house.
Other Kiwis spoken to were also nervous about having to juggle childcare and working full time, however they were grateful to still have a job.
Nadine van Ree, also formerly of Hamilton, said she was feeling "quite deflated" by the strict lockdown, like there was no end to it all however she realised it had to be done.
"A lot of people regret we didn't go more hardcore like New Zealand when this started back in March. It feels like the goalposts have been moved continuously for the past four months which is very unsettling. We are all feeling quite rattled.
"And wondering if this tougher lockdown for 6 more weeks will indeed do what we want it too, or will be more of the same with some people continuing to flout the rules."
Van Ree said she and husband, Rene, would have contemplated moving back to New Zealand to work remotely temporarily "the stakes are too hard to overcome now".
"So overall we're trying to remain positive and just get on with it but it's certainly been a big upheaval and huge change to our daily lives.
"We watch with jealousy as our New Zealand-based families go on weekends away, go to the gym and enjoy contact with each other in person. That seems like a very long way away for us here in Victoria." There is certainly the potential for both me and my husband to have our hours cut back, nothing is off the table.
