The case for further easing of restrictions in regional Victoria is growing stronger and louder by the day. Rural Councils Victoria, other groups and individuals, are calling for regional Victoria to move to the next step on the government's roadmap to recovery.

Victoria's chief health officer made it clear this week that opening up regional Victoria to metropolitan residents where there were more virus cases carried great risks. It's right to be cautious and we have consistently argued the health of all residents is priority number one. He is right too that we shouldn't be opened up to all and sundry.

But regional Victorians are free to move around other regional areas.

Halls Gap is a popular destination and last weekend it was flooded with people looking for a change of scenery. Accommodation and hospitality operators were delighted and visitors had smiles on their faces but people were turned away from cafes and restaurants as queues formed.

Hospitality industry restrictions are too tough. Regional Victoria has just three cases which will soon "drop off". So when that happens why should cafes and restaurants be restricted to 10 diners at a time or a maximum of 20 if more than one eating room, especially if they can social distance?

The federal government's JobKeeper payments were wound back a notch this week. That too has a compounding impact on businesses only allowed to have 10 diners at a time. How many can survive on 10 diners and reduced support? Rural Councils Victoria wrote to the government asking for indoor hospitality functions for up to 50 people, not 20, outdoor gatherings of up to 50, not 20, up to 20 visitors in homes and gyms and libraries to be allowed to open.

"Many parts of rural Victoria have had zero new cases for much longer than 14 days and, yet have harsher than necessary restrictions imposed on their communities," RCV chair Mary-Anne Brown, a Southern Grampians Shire councillor, said. We deserve a break.