Australian coronavirus evacuees to be quarantined at former Inpex camp outside Darwin

HUNDREDS of Australians will be flown out of Wuhan to Darwin as early as today where they will be quarantined in the former Inpex workers’ village

ADF personnel at the former Inpex workers’ camp outside Darwin on Friday ... Prime Minister Scott Morrison has confirmed it will be used to quarantine Australians evacuated from China’s coronavirus ground zero. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Life at the village will be a far cry from conditions on Christmas Island – where some of the 276 evacuees flown there this week have complained about cockroaches and woeful internet.

But the move is facing community opposition with Darwin locals suggesting the empty Wickham Point Detention Centre – which sits in a far more isolated location – should be used instead.

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The Manigurr-ma village is near the small town of Howard Springs and a private school.

NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the evacuees would be tested before flying out of China and none showing symptoms of coronavirus would be allowed in.

“There will be no health risk to the general public,” he said.

They will be accompanied on their flight by an AUSMAT medical team which will then be based at the village.

The evacuees will not be allowed to leave the village during their 14 days of quarantine.

The commercial kitchen, above, onsite cinema, below, and gym, bottom, at the former Inpex workers’ village. The facilities have since been mothballed

Inpex Workers Village. The onsite Cinema

Tour of the former Inpex workers village at Howard Springs facilities include medical centre, commercial kitchen, dining hall, tavern, indoor air-conditioned sports centre , swimming pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, accommodation units 875 blocks. Picture Katrina Bridgeford.

There is also a pool at the former workers village at Howard Springs, above and other facilities, below. There is also a medical centre on site.

Tour of the former Inpex workers village at Howard Springs facilities include medical centre, commercial kitchen, dining hall, tavern, indoor air-conditioned sports centre , swimming pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, accommodation units 875 blocks. Picture Katrina Bridgeford.

Acting NT Chief Health Officer, Di Stephens said the evacuees would not interact with the public.

She said evacuees would be taken through the defence side of the airport when they land in Darwin and be taken to workers’ camp by buses staffed by AUSMAT (Australian Medical Assistance Teams) personnel.

Mr Hunt said the Inpex village was a safe, secure and appropriate facility for quarantine purposes.

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“The CMO (Chief Medical Officer) and AUSMAT have certified that it is not just safe but it is an outstandingly clean isolation facility,” he said.

“It protects those who will be arriving – all of whom are expected to be in very good health – and it protects the community around it.”

Chief Medical Officer Professor Brendan Murphy, who arrived with Mr Hunt, said there was “no risk whatsoever” to the public in quarantining evacuees in the disused camp.

“There is no way that we would put anyone in the community at even the slightest risk, and I personally will guarantee the safety of the community around Howard Springs,” he said.