Toowoomba Wellcamp quarantine facility’s first buildings finished

The first structures have been completed at the upcoming quarantine facility at Wellcamp. The developer says it is on track to finish the first stage by Christmas.

Wagner Corporation director Denis Wagner (left) and Minister for Agriculture Mark Furner at a press conference announcing the completion of the first buildings built at the Wellcamp quarantine facility. Picture: Kevin Farmer

The first buildings have been completed at the upcoming 1000-bed quarantine facility at Wellcamp, with its developers revealing they were on track to complete the first stage by the end of the year.

Wagner Corp director Denis Wagner said four modules had been finished by subcontractor Hutchinson Builders, which would effectively house about 16 people in total.

The Toowoomba family company has promised to have the remaining 484 beds in stage one finished by Christmas, with that section being handed over to Queensland Health.

“There are tens of millions of dollars being spent on this site each month and that is all being done by local, Toowoomba-based contractors,” he said on Tuesday morning.

“There are contractors from all around this region that are working on this site.

“The first part of the facility will be opened for the end of this calendar year and the facility will be completed at the end of the first quarter of 2022.”

Wagner Corporation director Denis Wagner listens to Minister for Agriculture Mark Furner at a press conference announcing the completion of the first buildings built at the Wellcamp quarantine facility. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Mr Wagner made the comments during a site inspection with Agriculture Minister Mark Furner, who visited while on a regional vaccine push out to Dalby.

It comes a day after the Federal Government revealed it could reduce the capacity of its planned quarantine facility at Pinkenba down to just 500 beds.

Mr Furner said the government planned to have international students, farm employees and over overseas skilled workers housed at Wellcamp, calling the hub a “back-up” against potential variants in the Covid-19 virus that might emerge.

“We took the initiative to build this facility here well in advance before the Commonwealth Government considered the Pinkenba facility,” he said.

“Just yesterday they’ve come to use, saying they’re considering winding Pinkenba back to 500 beds.

“Just yesterday the Pacific Island nations in Tonga that we have workers come from has identified a case there, no doubt it could expand.

“When you consider different variants of Covid, we didn’t know we’d be getting a Delta variant and we don’t know what other variants we’ll have to deal with, so it’s good we have a back-up plan like this to ensure we can accommodate anything.”

Mr Furner said it was possible unvaccinated people could be housed at the Wellcamp facility, but declined to go into detail.

“That could very well be the case, but that will come down to the CHO as to what’s suitable for protecting Queenslanders and the people who arrive at our shores,” he said.

“When you consider the protection we’ve delivered for Queenslanders, this is money well spent.

Originally published as Toowoomba Wellcamp quarantine facility’s first buildings finished