QLD's regional quarantine facility well under way - Roads & Infrastructure Magazine

QLD’s regional quarantine facility well under way

The Wellcamp quarantine facility is on track to have 500 beds operational by the end of December. Image courtesy of Queensland Government.

Queensland’s first dedicated regional quarantine facility is moving ahead quickly with the first accommodation modules now installed at the Wellcamp site.

The facility, being developed by Wagner Corporation, is on track to deliver over 1000 beds, 500 by late December 2021 and the remaining 500 in the first quarter of 2022.

On-site at Wellcamp for the installation, Queensland’s Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner said construction had continued to move quickly.

“Since the announcement of a joint agreement with Wagner Corporation back in August, we’ve already seen the first concrete being poured and now the first modules on site,” he said.

“Going forward, this quarantine facility will play a vital role in the success of Queensland’s COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan, as well as its COVID-19 Vaccination Plan to Unite Families.”

The purpose-built quarantine hub near Toowoomba forms part of Queensland Government’s quarantine management approach to keep Queenslanders and return travellers safe from COVID-19.

Queensland’s Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development Steven Miles said Queensland needs purpose-built quarantine facilities like Wellcamp to build resilience should there be a community outbreak or if a new Covid-19 strain emerges in the future.

“Our use of border controls, quarantine measures and vaccinations have so far kept us one step ahead of the delta virus.

“As we look to our future of living with COVID we need to proceed in a measured, cautious and safe way to bring Queenslanders home and that includes a network of quarantine options such as quarantine facilities and home quarantine arrangements.”

Wagner Corporation has confirmed that Queensland is on track for the first stage of the quarantine facility to be delivered for use by the end of this year.

Wagner Corporation Chairman John Wagner said the construction will create between 350 to 400 jobs.

“The Centre will continue to provide a significant economic boost to the region in terms of local jobs and regional development opportunities.”

Just as the state government announced on Tuesday that the first accommodation had been built near Toowoomba’s Wellcamp Airport, the Federal Government released artists’ images of its proposed Pinkenba quarantine facility near Brisbane Airport.

Global construction company Multiplex has been selected to deliver the purpose-built quarantine facility at Pinkenba, which incorporates another 1000 beds to support ongoing efforts to fight COVID-19, also giving Queensland extra capacity to manage potential future health crises or natural disasters.

Under Queensland’s road map, government-run quarantine will still be used for unvaccinated domestic travellers from hotspot regions after the December 17 – or 80 per cent vaccination rate – reopening.

Unvaccinated residents returning from overseas will also still have to quarantine at home or at government sites from that point. Beyond 90 per cent, vaccinated international arrivals will not be required to quarantine.