Community RAT Program

Free Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) are now available for community members to collect from the following Council facilities:

Bairnsdale Corporate Centre
273 Main Street, Bairnsdale

Bairnsdale Library

Service Street, Bairnsdale

‍Lakes Entrance Service Centre
18 Mechanics Street, Lakes Entrance

Mallacoota Service Centre
70 Maurice Avenue, Mallacoota

Omeo Service Centre
179 Day Avenue, Omeo

Orbost Service Centre
1 Ruskin Street, Orbost

Paynesville Service Centre
55 The Esplanade, Paynesville

The State Government has now made RATs available to all community members at Council service centres throughout Victoria.

Previously, you were eligible to collect RATs if you were 70 years or older, a concession card holder or person with a disability, immunocompromised or their carer. 

If you have symptoms or have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19, please do not collect RATs until you are well. If you can’t get to a location, a guardian or carer can collect your free RATs for you or you can collect free RATs at testing sites which you can find through the coronavirus website.  

More information

For more information about getting tested and reporting a positive RAT result, check out the Get Tested fact sheet or visit the Department of Health website. Alternatively, you can call the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 675 398.

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End of pandemic orders

The Victorian Government announced the end of pandemic orders from 11.59pm on 12 October 2022 in a media statement.

For up-to-date information about coronavirus please go to the Department of Health and Human Services website.

While pandemic orders have stopped, COVID-19 may still impact businesses and organisations, including Council with staffing availability. From a Council perspective, it is possible some of our services may be impacted at times. If this occurs, we will let the community know on our Facebook page and website.

We can be contacted on 5153 9500, at feedback@egipps.vic.gov.au or during opening hours at any of our facilities.

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East Gippsland - The way we do business now

East Gippsland has been hit hard over recent years – first by below average rainfall; timber, fishing and farming industry transitions; the 2019-20 summer bushfires, COVID-19 and floods.

We have been there for our community through all these events and have a plan to continue to transition out of the previous COVID-19 restrictions.

Our plan, East Gippsland - The way we do business now is designed to be dynamic and will be reviewed in response to government announcements and other changing circumstances. It will build on what we have learned about delivering our services since the pandemic began and sets out what Council will do to emerge in a way that benefits our community, supports our people and continues to safeguard the health and wellbeing of both.

Any decision to close and reopen facilities and services is in line with advice from the Victorian Government.

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