The trials, designed to test the processes for confirming vaccination status in an "open" economy, will take place at Roberts One Real Estate, the Darlings of Beauty salon and Warrnambool Art Gallery.

The midweek race meeting at Warrnambool Racing Club will also be used to test higher patron limits at larger, open air events.

The trials will also roll out in five other local government areas and include a range of businesses, with three pubs, a cafe, two cinemas, two art galleries, a church, a real estate agent and a gym taking part in the tests.

The key point of the business trials is to test new technology developed by several states and the Commonwealth government, designed to allow people to prove their vaccination status on their smartphones.

Minister for Government Services Danny Pearson said when patrons scanned the QR code at venues, they would have to check in as well as bring up their approved vaccination certificate.

"Victorians will be able to check into a venue and show the proof of vaccination at the same time by showing their COVID-19 digital certificate from the service Victoria app. The check-in confirmation screen will show a green tick," he said.

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Anyone without a smart phone would have to apply to Services Australia for a hard copy of their vaccination certificate, but Mr Pearson estimated this only affected two per cent of Victorians.

He said the process using a smartphone would be "seamless".

"You will be able to add your COVID-19 digital certificate to the Victoria service app either through the Express Plus Medicare app or using the MyGov website," he said.

"COVID-19 digital certificates can only be added by the Express Plus Medicare app, or the MyGov website. You cannot take a screenshot of your certificate and upload it into your Service Victoria app.

"Coloured holograms that move can be seen on check-in screens so venues will know it is real, making it much harder to fake a check-in screen," Mr Pearson said.

He said the medical information involved in the process would be rigidly controlled. Data privacy has been a major concern since catastrophic breaches of the My Health Record system and NSW police using QR code check-in data to solve crimes.

"For those concerned about privacy, I stress that the Victorian government does not have access to any medical data linked to a person's Medicare account," Mr Pearson said.

The state government kept media, opposition and local government in the dark about the announcement until the announcement on Sunday morning. Business Minister Martin Pakula disputed the suggestion there had been a breakdown in communication, or that communities had been left unprepared by the last-minute announcement.

"There was a process to select the LGAs then there was a process to select the individual businesses, those businesses have been in constant dialogue with us, and also with the Department of Health," he said.

The government also announced the planned return of large-scale public events, with Flemington set to host 10,000 punters on November 2 for the Melbourne Cup.

Premier Daniel Andrews said the event would go ahead with 10,000 people regardless of whether the state had hit the 80 per cent fully vaccinated threshold, although he expressed confidence it would get there before the November 5 schedule.

A number of other larger events are planned to test the easing of restrictions under the 80 per cent vaccinated settings on the Victorian roadmap. There will be a concert at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on October 30, and a number of smaller gigs around the state at the same time. The number of patrons at these events is yet to be decided.

Asked whether it was fair for small businesses to be burdened with enforcing mandatory vaccination policies on potentially aggressive patrons, Mr Andrews said it was no different to enforcing other standard rules for accessing venues.

"I think it is simple to pause for a moment and reflect on the fact that if you own a pub... they already keep people who are under a certain age out, they do not serve alcohol to people who have had too much to drink... they are heavily regulated environments now."

He said there would be case managers from the Department of Jobs to assist the 15 trial venues through this process and develop guidance for other businesses for when the new rules kick in at 70 per cent fully vaccinated.

Mr Andrews said the proof of vaccination mandate would not be permanent, but it was necessary while the state's vaccination coverage consolidates.,

"Hopefully it is not needed once we get further into the new year. I can't put a date on it. If I could, then of course we would.

"People should assume that it is absolutely there for the summer, and it might be there for a little bit longer," he said.

The announcements came as new COVID-19 cases in Victoria hit a new high, with COVID-19 Commander Jeroen Weimar expressing concern.

"There were 126 new cases across regional Victoria, again that is a significant continual growth as case numbers grow," he said.

Warrnambool recorded no new cases in another sign it has controlled the outbreak that flared up last week.

There are still a number of exposure sites in the city related to people visiting from Geelong:

South West Healthcare said: "If you have attended these sites, please get tested and follow the instructions provided. Isolate immediately until tested and do not visit anywhere.

"Tier 1: Test and isolate for 14 days from the initial exposure date, regardless of the result or unless advised differently from the public health unit.

"Tier 2: Test and isolate until you a negative result."

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