Pleas are being made for a border bubble to cover mask-wearing, so the rules in Albury and Wodonga are identical.
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The calls follow Victorian border traders losing income to NSW counterparts because customers do not have to don masks north of the Murray River.
Business Wodonga chief Neil Aird said there needed to be consistency to help retailers and hospitality providers who were at a disadvantage to their Albury cousins.
"We've got a defined border with the bubble, why not say 'we don't have to wear masks in it' and have one rule for everyone and it would probably be easier if it was the NSW rule which recommends wearing masks," Mr Aird said.
He has called on the Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews to adopt the measure, with fears the lifting of checkpoints on November 23 will deepen Wodonga trade losses, as crossing delays end.
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Newly re-elected Wodonga councillor John Watson also wants uniformity with no masks if possible.
"I think we are in a bubble and I think we should have the same rules in the bubble," Cr Watson said.
Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier noted the lack of COVID-19 history in Wodonga and said she would raise the issue of border mask differences in Victoria's Parliament this week.
"There needs to be consistency," Ms Crozier said.
"Victorian businesses can't afford to lose any more, because...you've got people walking freely just across the river with no masks and people are going to shop there without masks."
Wodonga councillor Kat Bennett said she would like to see different rules for masks in regional Victoria compared to Melbourne.
She said a border bubble for mask-wearing could be problematic.
"It would be hard to patrol, even having one rule for Melbourne and one rule for regional Victorian would be easier to police," Cr Bennett said.
"We don't want to have more red tape in place."
Cr Bennett acknowledged the hardship the variation on masks was causing to small businesses.
She said she knew of Wodonga enterprises, including a beauty room, which have set up micro shops in Albury to maintain trade.
Mr Andrews on Sunday did not address specifically when mask rules may change, as he confirmed the easing of other COVID-19 restrictions.
"I'm not making any announcements to changes to masks today, might I be able to make some announcements in two weeks, three weeks time? Maybe and if we can we will," Mr Andrews said.
Asked what was the purpose of wearing a mask outside when nobody was around, the Premier replied "because it's the simplest and easiest rule".
"Masks serve a very important purpose, will they be with us forever? No," Mr Andrews said.
University of South Australia epidemiologist Adrian Esterman wants masks to become compulsory in NSW before November 23.
"Do I think NSW should be mandating face masks before the borders are reopened? Absolutely," Professor Esterman told The Sunday Age.
But in the same article, a University of Melbourne epidemiologist John Mathews rejected such an approach.
"When there are no cases of the virus being recorded it would be extremely difficult to persuade anyone to wear a face mask," Professor Mathews said.
