Gold Coast’s Belinda Gavin on hasty dash to beat border closure

Most people would dread being locked up inside a room for two weeks but it’s “paradise” for one woman who made a dash to the Gold Coast before being locked out.

A GOLD Coast marketing and events manager has made a hasty dash to beat Queensland’s border block and avoid a six-week lockdown after relocating her life to Melbourne.

Now Belinda Gavin - who made the cutoff into Queensland on Friday night with only hours to spare, is much happier at the prospect of enforced two-week quarantine in QT Gold Coast hotel, saying it’s “paradise”.

Earlier this year, Ms Gavin had packed up her things to take on a marketing role with the Sexpo in Melbourne after years working for tobacconist tycoon Travers “Candyman” Beynon’s franchise empire on the Gold Coast.

Belinda Gavin.

But after making the big move, all her work plans were recently cancelled and she was left without work.

Not wanting to spend another six weeks locked down in “freezing cold weather”, she made rushed last-minute decision to drive home from Melbourne, leaving at 5.30pm on Thursday.

“When I looked at sitting in Melbourne with five to 10C weather for another six weeks, or two weeks in a hotel on the Gold Coast in complete isolation - it was a no-brainer,” she said.

After crossing the two states, she arrived at the M1 border checkpoint at 9.30pm on Friday night - only hours before Queensland would lock out interstate visitors.

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Ms Gavin is staying inside the QT Hotel. Photo: Belinda Gavin

Breakfast with a view! Photo: Belinda Gavin

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She was stopped by police and spent two hours on the side of the road before being given a pass to drive to the QT Hotel in Surfers Paradise.

Ms Gavin says she’d had to pay $2800 for the 14-night stay with “pretty good food” including cereal, lots of fruit and salmon.

Although she’s only been there for three nights, Ms Gavin says she was making use of the time -already making friends with those on other balconies and keeping fit.

“Sometimes when I think about getting locked in a hotel for two weeks, I get anxiety,” she said.

Belinda Gavin has made mates with another person while in quarantine from balcony to balcony. Photo: Supplied

“But I don’t mind my own time. I have friends who have already dropped me a bottle of champagne and books and they can stand outside and (I can) wave to them.

“I have an amazing view of the mountains, which I love.

“I’ve travelled all over the world and this is the happiest I have ever been, being back here on the Gold Coast.”

After her time in quarantine is over, Ms Gavin plans to return to her Nerang home and look for work.