DESPITE undergoing weekly COVID-19 tests, Pinnaroo farmer and small business owner Mandy Oakley says border restrictions haven't impacted them as badly as others this year.
The Oakleys live in Pinnaroo and run agricultural chemical supply store CropSmart on the town's outskirts, but their farm is located in Vic, with the boundary fence along the border track.
They are required to show an essential traveller's permit every time they go to their farm and have had to source a freight pass for their delivery driver so he can travel outside the cross-border bubble.
Their son's school is located in Murrayville, Vic, and as a result, he has only physically attended for six weeks in total this year.
"Where we are, we're so far away from any virus, but we've had a fairly big toll on us trying to do the right thing," Mrs Oakley said.
"We know we're very safe because we haven't been anywhere and we're having COVID-19 tests every week. A lot of rural towns are the safest in the country."
Mrs Oakley said there had been upsides to the situation, with Pinnaroo's accommodation booked out for months, with border police and army members sleeping, eating and spending money in town.
She said the community was lucky to have access to all the essential services they required and community members had wholeheartedly rallied behind local businesses during lockdowns.
"As it's gone along, the authorities have got to know us better and have been forgiving of the situation and the frustration," she said.
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