Brett Hannan has racked up more kilometres than anyone during the 18 months of COVID-19 restricted travel, but it has hardly been a holiday.
He, more than anyone, is looking forward to the freedom that will follow on from Victoria and NSW reaching the 80 per cent double vaccination mark.
Not only for the benefits it will bring to his Moama based Removal and Storage business, but also for the benefit of the wider community.
“If the last 12 months are anything to go by we can expect to be very busy,” Mr Hannan said.
“Once Melbourne people can come up to Echuca and Moama I am expecting plenty of work.”
Mr Hannan said he anticipated a surge in Melbourne people re-locating to live in the country.
“It has certainly happened with Queensland, so I am sure people will be looking to move up here for good after what has gone with lockdowns in the last year and a bit,” he said.
He has a 19-year history in the removalist business and is now operating with two trucks and two employees.
“Before COVID probably 50 per cent of our business was local,” Mr Hannan said.
“Or at least here, Bendigo, Shepparton and Melbourne.
“We’ve moved schools, police and fire brigades.
“I will be very happy to see us back open and back to normal.”
Mr Hannan said nine out of 10 experiences with border police had been positive and he was certain the authorities would share in his enthusiasm for a return to normal.
“For me to go to Queensland I have hold all the necessary permits and have a COVID check every seven days,” he said.
“We are checked at the truck stops and have the result within 24 hours.
“I’ve had 20-plus tests in the last 12 months.”
Mr Hannan has not done business with Sydney at all during its extended surge in case numbers.
“We have chosen our business carefully to avoid any potential problems,” he said.
Though he has not been able to see his mother - who lives in Richmond - for three months, Mr Hannan was planning a summer reunion.
“My tip is that the Echuca and Moama community will boom after this,” he said.
“People will be looking to sell their houses in Melbourne after lockdown and get out of the city.
“We generally move about 100 a people a year up here. That number will increase in the next 12 months.”
Mr Hannan said his customer base had been understanding of the new conditions required of his removalist team.
“We have moved some people and they haven’t even been able to leave Victoria in order to move into their new home. It’s certainly been tough on some people,” he said.
Mr Hannan said he expected the business’ “boom” period, from spring to Easter, to again occur – albeit with a later start than normal.
“Bring on summer. Hopefully things can get back to normal, sooner rather than later.”