Toowoomba quarantine facility plans post-Covid

The Toowoomba quarantine facility could be used for farm workers, overseas students and as a part of an entertainment precinct.

The quarantine facility built for up to 1000 overseas returned travellers could be used for farm workers, overseas students and as a part of an entertainment precinct when no longer needed by the state government, it has been revealed.

Co-founder and chairman of Wagner Corporation John Wagner told the ABC there will be around 10,000 people working in the area over the next four or five years.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk at the site of a quarantine hub that will be built at Wellcamp Airport in Toowoomba with owners John Wagner and Joe Wagner. Picture: Queensland Government, Jack Tran

“We are developing the Wellcamp Entertainment Precinct and as a part of that it will have 5000 campground places so we produce these 1000 rooms as a part of that process,” Mr Wagner said.

“It will be used to house repatriated travellers whether they be Australians or otherwise or could be used to house farm workers and or university students, but that is up to the state and or federal government - it’s not up to us. we are the landlord here.

“There are producers out there who can’t pick their crops and they need to get people back in and we need to get the South Sea Islander program working and working quickly. It could be used like that (but) there is not an intention for that at this time.”

Mr Wagner said the multi-generational precinct will include things such as race tracks, go kart tracks and amphitheatres.

“I would expect over the next four to five years we will have in excess of 10,000 people working at Wellcamp in some shape or form.”

“It is a very long-term vision for the Wagner family, a multi-generational asset and we will continue to grow and develop it for the next generation and the generation after to encourage and acknowledge wealth for the region.”

The facility is set to have 500 rooms built for use by Christmas and 1000 by the first quarter of 2022.

“It’ll be a brand new facility and a better version of the Howard Springs. The rooms will be bigger, it will be better co-ordinated, better fencing, better CCTV.

“We are the state’s landlords, the state will lease it from us for 12 months.

“We take all the construction risk and we take all residual risk if, in fact, it takes all the way up to 12 months, so there is no cost to the Queensland taxpayer for our risk.”