As from 11:59pm Wednesday 8 July 2020 Stage 3 restrictions in relation to COVID-19 issues are in place for all Metropolitan Local Government Areas and Mitchell Shire. Border closures between Victoria and New South Wales are also in effect (in addition to other border closures which have been in place for some time).
As advised in our last information release and the email of 10 July 2020, Archery Victoria has been liaising with a number of stakeholders including Sport and Recreation Victoria and Local Governments for clarification of restrictions and how they affect our clubs. We have now received that clarification.
For Metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire the following advice has been received in relation to outdoor exercise and active recreation:
- Outdoor sport facilities can open if people can exercise outside, equipment is not shared or rented, no indoor facilities or shared facilities (except toilets) are used, and people must be able to keep 1.5 metres distance between each other.
- Where outdoor archery ranges can open, these facilities must have a patron cap of 10.
- No use of indoor sport facilities is allowed.
- We are urged to ‘stay local’ for our exercise and active recreation and ‘get in, exercise and get out’.
- No-one is to leave the restricted areas of Metropolitan Melbourne or Mitchell Shire for exercise or active recreation purposes.
- Coaches may be in attendance but are to work with only two archers at any given time. Archers should still remain 1.5 metres apart and coaches should keep the same distance from the archers. Coaches should refrain from touching archer’s equipment or personal effects as much as possible and should sanitise before and after doing so.
So, for those clubs within Melbourne Metro and Mitchell Shire, you may be able to open your facilities for exercise and active recreation purposes – i.e. doing your archery activity as your form of daily exercise or active recreation. Many Local Government Authorities (LGA) have already advised of lock downs of outdoor areas including archery clubs. Ultimately it is up to the LGA (or other stakeholders should your club not be on LGA land) as to whether they allow you to use your grounds for this purpose.
Even if your LGA was to give approval, it may not be possible for all clubs within Melbourne Metro and Mitchell Shire to take up this opportunity. Every club is different and operates differently. Clubs should take into account their local situation and how they operate when considering if limited access to their grounds is safe and possible. Remember that the health and safety of our club members, their family and friends and the community is paramount.
Your particular club may be in an area where a higher percentage of the population is at risk. It may be that you have no way of safely facilitating access for members. Clubs may not be in a position to monitor activity and ensure everyone is safe. Your club may be situated in an area of higher outbreaks of COVID19. Each club will have their own issues to assess. Whatever the decision of your club please be assured that Archery Victoria will back any club that determines that full closure continues to be necessary and we will work with clubs as necessary if they decide to move to limited operation. If clubs wish to discuss their particular situation, please contact the Secretary as per below.
In order to facilitate limited opening, each club should review their Stage 1 Return to Play Plan and modify appropriately. Some additional requirements need to be in place relating to access into and out of restricted areas of Metro Melbourne and Mitchell Shire. Clubs are asked to advise Archery Victoria if they are remaining closed or, if they wish to open, submit revised Return to Play plans before doing so.
No club within the restricted areas should open prior to gaining approval from your LGA. LGAs should by now have received advice – as we have – and may be in a position to enter into discussions with you. If you require any assistance with your particular LGA you may refer them to Archery Victoria to discuss any issues. Ultimately though it is their decision. Please be respectful of their position.
In addition to this general advice, there are some provisos for both metropolitan/Mitchell Shire clubs and rural clubs.
- Rural clubs who have members whose primary residence is in the lockdown areas must advise those members that they cannot attend the club during the lockdown period. It is the club’s responsibility to ensure that this does not occur.
- All clubs must continue to gather contact information on anyone attending their club. For rural clubs, in addition to gathering the standard contact information (name, contact details, times at the club) you must also ask anyone visiting your club to produce their driver’s licence or any other official document that includes the address of their primary residence. Should the primary residence of that person be within the restricted areas they should be asked to leave the club immediately and be requested to observe the necessary lockdown requirements.
- Metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire clubs who have members whose primary residence is outside the lockdown areas must ensure that these members do not access their club during the lockdown period.
- Any clubs who have members whose primary residence is in New South Wales (or any other state where borders between that state and Victoria are in place) must remind those members that they cannot cross the border or attend their club.
Rural clubs based outside the lockdown boundaries can continue to operate in accordance with your Stage 1.1 or Stage 2 Return to Play Plans as you are now. The restrictions introduced at 11:59pm on 1 July 2020 remain in place. In line with the directions of Victoria’s Chief Health Officer, the difficult but necessary decision has been made to halt the resumption of competition for people aged 19 and over in regional Victoria. These changes were due to be made on 13 and 20 July, however, with the significant increase in COVID-19 cases in Melbourne, and active cases in a number of regional communities, the Chief Health Officer has determined that these will not take place. Further easing of restrictions, including target dates, will be considered by the Chief Health Officer by the end of July 2020.
The health and wellbeing of our members, volunteers and the wider community are our primary concern in these trying times. We know that the restrictions will bring challenges for us all but keeping you, your family and friends and our communities safe and well is the priority.
The following additional guidance is in place:
- If you have tested positive to coronavirus COVID19, are living with a diagnosed person or have had close contact with a person who is confirmed to have the virus, you must stay at home and not visit your club or any other club.
- If you, or someone you have been in close contact with, has been overseas in the last 2 weeks, please do not attend or shoot at your club (or any other club) for 14 days.
- If you have any flu like symptoms or have had any in the last 2 weeks, please do not attend your club (or any other club) for 14 days.
- If you begin exhibiting flu like symptoms whilst at a club please leave immediately.
- Do not touch any equipment that is not your own, this includes pulling out arrows. Each archer should pull their own arrows.
- Archers should hand wash (with soap and water) or hand rub (with sanitizer) prior to setting up their target and on completion of setting up their target.
- One archer per target butt only with sufficient space between targets to ensure appropriate social distancing.
- After use, personal bow grips should be wiped down with isopropyl alcohol swabs, soap and water or 1:30 water/bleach dilution.
- Archers should refrain from any physical contact with one another and practice social distancing.
- Pack your own food and water and ensure that you are not sharing.
