‘I’m at the back of the line’: Home in sights after stressful wait

A Queensland woman who has been stuck in NSW since travelling there when her father died in August can finally come home following the announcement of the state’s Covid road map.

There is light at the end of the tunnel for Queenslander Cathryn Elsing who has been stuck in NSW since August.

Ms Elsing travelled to Forster to be with family after her father passed away.

She said she experienced further trauma in trying to navigate the exemption and hotel quarantine system.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Monday announced that anyone who has been in a declared hospot can travel into Queensland from November 19 - the date when 70 per cent of the state’s eligible population are expected to be fully vaccinated by.

But travellers must be fully vaccinated; have a negative Covid test in the previous 72 hours; arrive by air; and then undertake 14 days home quarantine.

Ms Elsing had previously been told she wouldn’t qualify to come home until November 15.

“So opening home-quarantine on the 19th is almost perfect,” she said.

“I am at the back of the line because Queensland Health issued me the wrong pass – I had to start again with my application on September 29,” she said.

Queensland resident Cathryn Elsing travelled to Forster, New South Wales, in August to be with family after her father passed away. Picture Supplied

When she applied for a border pass one of the questions asked was ‘do you need to travel through a hotspot to get to the airport?’

“Ten business days later I was told that I had been issued a general pass because I had clicked ‘yes’ and needed to travel through NSW.”

Ms Elsing’s time stuck in New South Wales has been particularly stressful, and compounded by her grandfather passing away after her dad.

She hoped the requirements and registration for home quarantine would be clear for those desperate to get home.

“When the home quarantine trial was announced a lot of residents were not yet fully-vaccinated or in a freestanding residence.”

She said quite a few people were forced to turn down the invitation because they did not meet the requirements.

“There are some Queensland residents who will even wait until December 17 so they can drive across the border rather than fly.”