It became known as our 'Freedom Friday'.
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A day when some of the tight restrictions on our lives during the coronavirus pandemic were finally loosened, even if it was just a little.
People were able to sit down and have something to eat and drink in their favourite local cafe or eatery.
Our seaside pools, a treasured part of recreation and relaxation in the Illawarra, were refilled, barriers taken down and land-locked swimmers were able to again plunge themselves into the cool, clear water.
Kids were to play in parks and playgrounds again.
Their beaming smiles said it all really.
We're back in the swing and may it never end again.
Editorial: Freedom Friday is just the first step
Well, we have survived Freedom Friday.
Our first real day coming out of coronavirus lockdown and into what is being termed stage one of the recovery from our social isolation.
How well we perform and how our number of cases go during this period will determine how quickly we move from stage one, which is still quite restrictive, into stage two and stage three.
This is important, not only for our own health and well being, but also important for the local economy.
Special police tasked with ensuring the COVID-19 restrictions are followed will be out in force across the weekend patrolling the region.
"I understand people have been cooped up inside for many weeks but the relaxing of restrictions is not an invitation for people to go crazy," Wollongong Police District commander, Superintendent Evan Quarmby told the Illawarra Mercury this week.
"We all have to be smart and most importantly, responsible."
Yet the key to our continued progress forward is not the need to obey the rules.
It's about taking personal responsibility to adhere to the rules and be sensible about what we do.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian reminded people of that heading into this weekend, a period where our courage of character as a community will be tested the most.
"I know some may even have already started enjoying the new freedoms that come with easing restrictions today but that also comes with personal responsibility and can't stress that enough," Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.
"Easing restrictions have failed in so many places around the world and I don't want that to happen in New South Wales, I want people to have personal responsibility for the way we respond, let's do our part in keeping everybody safe so that we can keep moving forward so that we never go backwards."
Please, this weekend, be safe, be responsible.
Let's make Freedom Friday the point from which we move forward, not go backwards.
Read more:
- Smooth start to gradual return of dining in for up to 10 people at a time on Friday in Wollongong and Shellharbour
- North Gong Hotel and Steelers Club to wait until more than 10 people are allowed to frequent pubs and clubs
- Why some Illawarra eateries are holding off plans to open for dine-in on Friday
- Wollongong's only hatted restaurant Caveau won't reopen until the second stage in the easing of COVID-19 restrictions
