Deputy Premier Steven Miles inspects Wellcamp quarantine facility

The State Government’s quarantine facility at Wellcamp is almost ready for arrivals, with Deputy Premier Steven Miles today outlining exactly who the accommodation will be used by and how they will get to the location outside of Toowoomba.

Buses will still be used to transport people who need to quarantine at Toowoomba’s Wellcamp facility despite concerns the new Omicron variant is more transmissible.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the transport option was as “safe as any other option” being used and that processes would be in place to minimise the risk of transmission.

The facility, announced in August, has reached practical completion with some final fit outs and landscaping to take place before the keys are officially handed to the state government by December 31.

Visiting the site on Monday, Mr Miles said there were 130 modules with 500 beds, with the remaining 500 beds to come online in the first quarter of next year.

“We know that hotel quarantine has weaknesses that can be addressed with a purpose-built facility like this one,” he said.

“The Wagners have done a fantastic job.”

Deputy Premier Steven Miles and John Wagner at the Wellcamp quarantine hub. Picture: Nev Madsen.

While charter and domestic flights are able to land at the adjacent Wellcamp airport, the government is still working on getting approval from the Commonwealth for international flights.

Mr Miles said the facility could be used for close contacts who didn’t have anywhere suitable to isolate.

“At the moment close contacts are isolating at home,” he said.

“There are many people who for various reasons can’t quarantine at home, whether that’s the nature of their accommodation or because they don’t want to potentially expose family members (or) people who might be immunocompromised.

“This facility will give us that option.”

It’s not known when people will officially begin quarantining at the facility, with the Deputy Premier saying it was difficult to predict.

Mr Miles wouldn’t say whether all 1000 beds would be needed, instead saying it was beneficial having them available.