‘OVER THE MOON’: Warwick family’s Christmas reunion

Plane tickets have been booked and travel sites overwhelmed as residents welcome back interstate loved ones.

ALL SMILES: Warwick grandparents Christine and Michael Ford are overjoyed at the chance to see their Sydney family come December 1.

WARWICK residents have been overjoyed by a surprise border announcement, meaning families in Victoria and Sydney can come together with Queenslanders just in time for Christmas.

It came following a confirmation that had been no new cases in Victoria, but for many families the news went beyond politics.

At the start of November, Warwick Daily News interviewed grandparents Christine and Michael Ford who were “devastated” by border closures which meant they would be able to see their Sydney grandchildren.

Now the pair already have their plane seat booked for a Christmas visit, ahead of the planned December 1 reopening.

“As soon as we found out, we went to the travel agency and got our tickets all done and ready to go,” Mrs Ford said.

“Our grandchildren and children are absolutely over the moon. The news was just wonderful, it really was.”

Mrs Ford believed Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was persuaded by an overwhelming criticism.

“I think she must have seen a lot of people were really cross with her and I don’t blame them,” she said.

“But as long as she doesn’t change it again, and I can’t see anything going wrong, it’s going to be a fantastic Christmas.”

Other Downs readers had similar comments, with the majority agreeing to a border open.

“It was a tough time for many. But it’s under control now vs when it wasn’t and the state borders were shut. Now families can be united for Christmas,” Leitsha Skye wrote.

The Premier stood firm on her previous tough stance while announcing the good news on Tuesday.

“I absolutely make no apologies,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“What everyone needs to understand is that it’s about community transmission.

“If we have to act, we will act, but we will always act on the advice of the Chief Health Officer.”

Within hours of the announcement, demand for Queensland holidays on travel website Wotif surged 140 per cent, while Brisbane Airport braced for a 600 per cent increase in traffic to Sydney and Melbourne.

At this time, South Australia still remains closed to Queenslanders.

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