Businesses and locals whose lives have been turned upside down by a major manhunt can finally breathe a small sigh of relief with cash help on the way.

They are urging visitors to return to their region, a popular tourist area in Victoria's high country, which has been decimated by a sharp drop in business.

Travel restrictions have been reduced in Porepunkah and surrounding towns as the search for accused cop killer Dezi Freeman inches closer to its fourth week.

Freeman, 56, is accused of fatally shooting policemen Neal Thompson and Vadim de Waart-Hottart at a property in Porepunkah, about 300km northeast of Melbourne, on August 26 before escaping into bushland.

Businesses that lost money during the search became eligible for $5000 grants on Monday - a day after police lifted travel wa

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