The sun was shining, cafes and restaurants were open, and residents were finally allowed out of their homes for whatever reason they wanted - this is was the weekend the North East really needed.
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Social media was full of pictures of people out enjoying themselves and one resident Helenka King, who was having a day out in Beechworth and Yackandandah, summed it up really well on Twitter when she said "half of regional Victoria seemed to be out today and the other half serving them breakfast".
The coronavirus pandemic is not over yet and we still need to ensure we keep our zero case numbers, but the ability to travel to other regions will at least help cure the cabin fever.
And it is the first step to helping businesses recover from a horror 2020.
Some businesses were feeling positive over the weekend, with Coral Lee cafe owner Michelle Turner telling The Border Mail "the whole vibe of the town is completely different".
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There were similar scenes north of the Murray River after the "daily life" reason to cross the border into NSW was reintroduced at the same time as regional Victoria's easing of restrictions.
The great result was Albury welcoming Victorian visitors back again, with lunch and dinner venues full of customers.
But despite some seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, it may be too late for other businesses that are still struggling.
The Bright Table giftware store owner Gemma Ivey was one who had not qualified for government assistance, saying "maybe it's good our lease is up (next year) because it gives us some options".
The best thing we can all do, is to continue to get out and give them our business.
The recovery process will take much more than one weekend and will require a big spring and summer tourism season - just to start.
Many people fortunate enough to still have a paying job during the pandemic have reported being able to save money, because they have not been able to go anywhere to spend.
For those in the financial position to do so, now is the time to start that spending.