IT'S smiles all round at Mildura's Café 1909 as some of the last remaining COVID restrictions are removed from midnight on Friday.
Mandates for masks in hospitality and the requirement to check vaccination status' were lifted, making life much easier for those working in the embattled industry.
After two years of suffering through ever changing restrictions and rules, Cafe 1909 managing director Davis Heaysman said he and his staff were thrilled.
"We're ecstatic," he said. "We're happy that we have a bit more ease in the pressures that we've had the last few years."
Mr Heaysman admitted among the many challenges the restrictions have created over the past two years, the abuse staff have faced from customers has been among the worst.
"Everyone is really ecstatic because we're not not going to get abused as much," he said.
"It's the harassment that's really been putting everyone down and the extra duties. So now we can concentrate on our job, hopefully.""
Cafe 1909 staff member, Kerry Pappas said that due to the location of Mildura, the harassment they faced was ongoing.
"People haven't had to do it in all of Australia but then they come into Victoria and it's been a bit of an issue with customers," she explained.
"So a lot of people are quite argumentative because it hasn't happened in the rest of Australia for some time now."
Other changes in COVID related restrictions are isolation for close contacts ends in NSW at 6pm on Friday and in Victoria at 11.59pm.
Victoria will also ease rules on vaccination status and check-in requirements for pubs, restaurants, theatres and sports venues.
Vaccine mandates for workers in multiple industries are being retained in Victoria, while NSW will shift to a risk assessment based mandate model.
Mr Heaysman said that the staff and himself are looking forward to celebrating the changes.
"All the staff and myself are going to have a drink," he said.
"We're going to be excited to get some normality happening."
Victoria yesterday recorded 18,968 new COVID-19 cases, 16 deaths, with 428 people in hospital and 30 in ICU.