Coronavirus, South Melbourne Style, Autumn 2020

Australians won't easily forget the year 2020. It opened with the 'black summer' of catastrophic bushfires nationwide. Almost immediately the novel coronavirus named COVID-19 caused a global pandemic and the 'lockdown' of societies around the world, accompanied by #StayAtHome and #WashYourHands public health campaigns. So far, everyone living in Australia can be grateful that we live where we do, and not in the many other countries where the virus has raged out of control.

Thanks to the 'lockdown', a sense of community has grown in my street. My lovely neighbours know I live alone, with my daughter and grandkids in far-off Sydney. I'm on 'helping' terms already with three close neighbours but to date the young man living next door has just smiled, said hello and chatted briefly with me in the street. On the first day of the 'lockdown' he knocked on my door, offered help in case I needed it, and asked that we exchange phone numbers in case of an emergency.

Next day it was a 40-ish mother, with kids around the same age as my grandchildren and renting a house a few doors away. She put a note in my letter box, also offering help with shopping, spare toilet rolls and her phone number in case of need. So the 'black cloud' of social distancing required for COVID-19 also offers glimpses of a 'silver lining' by bringing some of us closer, emotionally, via small acts of random kindness.

It's hard to imagine that one day we may need some reminders of how things were during 2020. Just in case I forget, here's a small sample of 'the new normal' I've noticed during my walks to the South Melbourne shops and South Melbourne Beach during the autumn of 2020.

Queues of unemployed workers keeping their social distance
outside Centrelink, York St, South Melbourne, 26 March 2020

People quickly appreciate essential services workers, 6 April 2020

Doctors continue to operate, with strict infection control precautions in place

Trams follow normal timetable but are largely empty.
This tram is about to collect its only two passengers, 15 April 2020

Instructions at the entrance to Woolworths, South Melbourne

Hand sanitiser dispenser outside Woolworths, South Melbourne

Instructions for standing in queues at supermarket checkouts

My neighbour and I continue our regular, socially-distanced walks
from home via quiet suburban streets to South Melbourne Beach, which remains closed

20 May 2020 - Cafes have long since worked out ways to stay open,
organising takeaway menu displays and pickup tables outside their premises

Some cafes have moved their food offerings from the counter to the front window,
to tempt passers by during their daily walks, which are permitted for exercise reasons

No cafe tables with chairs are permitted outside - so cafe customers have to stand around,
well spaced out, to enjoy drinking their coffees in the welcome late autumn sunshine

A bit of pro-active, eye-catching marketing
outside the Hunky Dory fish shop in Clarendon St, South Melbourne

To enter this smash repair shop you first need to ring
the office number displayed on the notice

The Op-Shop for the Sacred Heart Mission at 365 Clarendon St
is still operating under limited conditions

Only the food stalls are allowed to operate inside South Melbourne Market.
Other stalls are barricaded off. The usual 'vibe' is sadly lacking.

'Ghost' stall holders inside South Melbourne Market

Staff holding hand counters control the traffic flow
into the Food Hall section inside South Melbourne Market

Customer control measures apply within the Food Hall of South Melbourne Market

One-way traffic flows apply even for stall holders on the outside of South Melbourne Market

Some residents have retained a sense of humour.

Public authorities are now employing teams of cleaning staff
for high touch points like railings, pedestrian buttons

Meanwhile, life goes on pretty much unchanged for a writer like me,
used to being tied to a desk day in and day out.

My latest book is 'Sentenced to Debt: Robert Forrester, First Fleeter', published in May 2020. It can be purchased online here.