Arare exemption for public holiday trading by the two regulated shops in Millicent was granted on Thursday.

Woolworths and Foster’s Foodland opened their doors on a gazetted public holiday for the National Day of Mourning for Queen Elizabeth.

They were permitted to trade from noon and a steady stream of customers passed through their doors in the following hours.

One of the Woolworths staff members told The SE Voice there was a large percentage of tourists in store.

She presumed they were visitors to Millicent for the annual Pines Enduro or Victorian tourists taking advantage of a four-day holiday long weekend.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the public holiday on September 9 and the South Australian Government gazetted trading exemptions a few days later for Adelaide, its suburbs and for Proclaimed Shopping Districts like Millicent.

A small number of Millicent’s unregulated shops followed the lead of the two larger stores on Thursday and opened their doors.

Wattle Range Council closed its Millicent Visitor Information Centre and so there was no access to the Millicent National Trust Museum.

The Limestone Coast Local Health Network cancelled elective surgery at Millicent Hospital on Thursday citing unavailability of staff.

The Kimberly-Clark Australia Millicent Mill operated around-the-clock as usual.