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Melbourne's residents have been enduring their sixth pandemic lockdown since early August to quell an outbreak fuelled by the Delta strain.
The authorities ramped up the state's immunisation drive before easing curbs, even as daily cases continue to hover near record levels.
By Friday, the city of five million would have spent a cumulative 262 days, or nearly nine months, under stay-home orders since March last year - the world's longest, exceeding a 234-day lockdown in Buenos Aires, according to Australian media.
Officials had promised to lift lockdowns once double-dose vaccinations for people aged above 16 exceeded 70 per cent in Victoria.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday confirmed reaching that target, and more restrictions will ease as inoculations hit 80 per cent and 90 per cent.
"The longest road has been journeyed in Victoria and that long road really starts to open up tonight," Mr Morrison told Seven News on Thursday...
Melbourne passes Buenos Aires' world record for time spent in COVID-19 lockdown
As of 8:00pm on Sunday, a Victorian who has lived in Melbourne and not left since the beginning of the pandemic will have spent 245 days in lockdown.
It is the longest cumulative lockdown for any city in the world.
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Buenos Aires previously held the record, enduring a 234-day lockdown from March 20 to November 11, 2020, and a short 10-day circuit-breaker lockdown from May 21 to May 31 this year.
While the Argentinian capital spent 244 days in lockdown, regional areas outside of the city enjoyed relaxed restrictions at various periods not unlike those in regional Victoria.
Melbourne is set to far exceed the record, with Victoria's roadmap indicating the state will only reach its next vaccination target of 70 per cent double dose vaccinations around October 26.
While the first period of stay-at-home restrictions enforced in March last year was not officially called a "lockdown", it is commonly accepted that Melbourne is now in its sixth lockdown. Here's the timeline of how they played out:
Lockdown 1: March 30 to May 12, 2020 — 43 days
Lockdown 2: July 8 to October 27, 2020 —111 days
Lockdown 3: February 12 - 17, 2021 —5 days
Lockdown 4: May 27 - June 10, 2021 — 14 days
Lockdown 5: July 15 - 27, 2021 — 12 days
Lockdown 6: August 5 - October 26, 2021 — 82 days
It means Victorians may spend a total of 267 days in lockdown before restrictions and reasons-for leaving-home rules are again lifted.
Premier Daniel Andrews said on Thursday he would not rule out amending the roadmap and extending restrictions should health advice make it necessary.
Lockdowns have become a regular feature of Victoria's public health response to the current Delta strain outbreak.
Shepparton and Moorabool Shire were this week plunged into snap seven-day lockdowns on public health advice to combat rising cases.
According to the federal government's four-step national plan, lockdowns will remain a go-to measure to combat the virus until the country reaches an 80 per cent double vaccination rate, at which Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australians "should not expect broad-based, metropolitan-wide lockdowns".
'A policy failure'
The opposition has sharply criticised the state government over the length and intensity of Victoria's lockdown.
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"Lockdowns are not a sign of policy success. They're a sign of policy failure," Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said.
"It is disastrous for our city, for our state, that Melbourne has been in lockdown for so long."
Mr Andrews said the opposition's comments were "utterly irrelevant" to the work the government was doing.
"People are free to be critical, that is fine. But if you are unhappy, what is your alternative?" he said.
"What would you do? Would you open everything up tomorrow? Would you pretend that it was over because you desperately wanted it to be?
"It isn't over yet. It will be soon."
When asked to reflect on Victoria's claim to the title of longest lockdown, Mr Andrews would only comment on the resilience of Victorian residents.
"I simply say how proud I am of every single Victorian for giving so much, for working so hard to save lives to get through this," Mr Andrews said.
"We achieved an enormous amount last year.
"It has been bloody tough, we know that, but the Victorian community have been so, so impressive in the way they've been looking out for each other and in all that they have endured and overcome.
"It is impressive. It makes you very, very proud."