August 25, 2021
by Anne Miller
What does the Wellcamp quarantine facility announcement this week mean for the South Burnett?
Firstly, early concerns that Toowoomba Hospital – vital to so many local residents’ health care – could be overwhelmed with COVID patients should be calmed slightly with the assurance from the Premier that only the existing five approved COVID hospitals would be used.
How long this lasts will depend, we assume, on the demand for hospital treatment.
However, the fact any positive patients will have to be transported from Wellcamp to either Brisbane or the Sunshine Coast may put pressure on QAS services or, more likely, existing government, RFDS and LifeFlight medevac flights.
And the fact the Federal Government hasn’t given the green light for international flights to land directly at Wellcamp means more transportation issues.
But let’s sit back and imagine a day when the pandemic is over … and this is something I bet the Wagner family is contemplating.
There will be an accommodation facility built next to an international airport (if the Federal Government eventually backs down).
And, perhaps, even a top-class motorsport complex nearby as well.
A lot of this will have been built with a huge component of public money, but let’s not be cynical …
Wellcamp is an opportunity the South Burnett should be ready to grab with both hands.
An international airport at Wellcamp could be a huge bonus for South Burnett tourism, with visitors being deposited almost on our doorstep.
But we would have to be pro-active and ready and willing to welcome them …
These are “new” dollars that could flow through the local economy, creating jobs.
More opportunities for international freight would also open inside the holds of those departing tourist flights.
The recent opening of the regional trade distribution hub at Wellcamp has the potential of enticing more producers and manufacturers to start thinking seriously about international trade.
South Burnett businesses – especially ag-related businesses – have been slow to capitalise so far on the opportunities the existing freight flights from Wellcamp offer.
This could change.
In my opinion, the Wellcamp announcement this week is nothing but good news.
We now just have to wait until enough people get vaccinated – both here and abroad – for borders to reopen and travel to resume.
- Related article: Work Starts On Quarantine Facility
