Stradbroke residents concerned about lack of virus testing for visitors during peak season

Residents living on North Stradbroke Island are afraid it could become a ‘coronavirus hotspot’ over Easter and they want tourists locked out.

DOCTORS and residents fear North Stradbroke Island could become a coronavirus hotspot when tens of thousands of holiday-makers arrive during Easter and school holidays.

The island, which has 2000 residents, usually receives an influx of 20,000 to 30,000 visitors over the Easter period.

It has one of the oldest populations in Southeast Queensland, with about a quarter of residents over 65, and is believed to be the largest indigenous community in Southeast Queensland.

Cameron Costello, chief executive officer of the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation, said there were more than 400 indigenous island residents.

Mr Costello said at the very least he would like to see testing of visitors before they arrived on the island by barge or water taxi at Easter.

Tiny wallaby rescued after epic swim

Queensland coronavirus case and death tolls

But he said it could come to the point where the island would have to be closed to visitors.

“The community has got to follow the rules that have been put in place,” Mr Costello said.

“If they don’t, they may have to take the hard decision of closing the island.

“That would definitely have to be an option on the table, for the sake of our elders.”

Mr Cameron said the Corporation had been working closely with Queensland Health and the Institute of Urban Indigenous Health, who were well aware of visitor issues.

North Stradbroke Island Minjerribah Museum secretary, Howard Guille, said he was concerned about the lack of testing of people getting on barges to the island.

“Island people deserve some protection,” Mr Guille said.

Stradbroke Island residents are afraid the popular tourist destination could become a coronavirus hotspot over the Easter school holidays. Picture: Tourism and Events Queensland

One of the camping grounds on South Stradbroke Island. Picture: Supplied

He said having thousands of visitors, from all over Queensland and possibly from overseas, in close proximity at Easter was a recipe for spreading the virus.

Redland City Council Mayor, Cr Karen Williams, said she had been told there had been some postponements of Easter bookings for the island.
Cr Williams also said a North Stradbroke Island working group was being set up under the Local Disaster Management Group, to address particular island issues.

“We will need to consider how people can safely be transported to and from the island given the Federal Government’s stance on social distancing, how we ensure food and supplies can reach all islands and the need for strict hygiene for anyone camping on the island,” Cr Williams said.

She said there was a fine balancing act between supporting the local economy and the need to put people’s health first.
Dozens of residents have expressed their concerns on an island Facebook page, with many calling for a shut down of non-essential travel to the island.

“There are only two confirmed cases of coronavirus on the island,” an island doctor wrote on the Facebook site last week, referring to two people who had come from the mainland.

“These people are in isolation and have been that way since they arrived in a car on the barge.

“As far as I’ve been told, they have not had contact with anyone in the community. Please don’t panic!”

Heather Truman, General manager of Sealink, which runs Stradbroke Ferries, said additional hand sanitisers and cleaning stations had been made available to its customers.

“Customers can stay in their vehicles whilst travelling and for those who choose to sit in the passenger lounge or travel by water taxi, social distancing is being encouraged, as per Government advice,” Ms Truman said.

She said Sealink would continue to follow advice from the relevant authorities.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk recently said Queensland would implement restrictions in Torres Strait Islander and Indigenous communities, because virus impacts could be quite severe.

She said she would forward to the Commonwealth a list of communities across Queensland where there would be restricted access.

Originally published as Stradbroke residents concerned about lack of virus testing for visitors during peak season