Queensland border reopening reunites Kuranda sisters with dad at Cairns Airport

Three Far North sisters had their eyes glued to the arrivals doors at the airport as their father emerged after being locked out of the state for six months.

EMOTIONAL families torn apart by border closures and hope for businesses created an undeniable buzz, that is only set “to grow” at Cairns Airport, which has capital works back on the agenda.

After 141 days, Queensland’s border reopened to southern states on Monday, and although the early opening surprised airlines, it was welcome news for families.

For Kuranda sisters Chloe Kember and Rylie and Kayla Bryson, it was impossible for them to take their eyes off the arrivals tunnel as their dad Adam Kember flew in from Sydney after a “long” six months.

Mr Kember, a fly-in, fly-out mine worker in central New South Wales had opted to remain at the Maules Creek site in July, but the family assumed it would only be a three-month absence.

“But this has been ridiculous,” partner Tania Bryson-Kember said.

“He was away for nine weeks last year and that was hard, but this time it just got longer and longer and longer.”

Ms Bryson-Kember who works as an early childhood educator said essentially, becoming a single-working parent was difficult, but celebrating birthdays and school graduations without her partner hurt more.

“Our option (to see Mr Kember) were hotel quarantine. But the $3000 was too expensive and he wouldn’t be paid for that, and then he would have to take an extra unpaid week off work just to be at home.

“So to have him at home it would’ve cost us about $12,000 and we just can’t afford that.

“Emotionally it’s been hard. All the little things, movie nights, cuddles, school runs.”

Ms Bryson-Kember the family’s plan was to enjoy Christmas and New Year’s Day and spend some quality time together.

Also waiting for interstate arrivals on Monday was Cairns Airport chief executive Richard Barker who was moved by the many overdue reunions.

“There was a real buzz and there was lots of tears from families who have been separated five, six months. I’ve spoken to people who haven’t seen kids who have been to uni for 12 months,” Mr Barker said.

Mr Barker said during the border closure passenger numbers had dropped to about 22 per cent of foot traffic recorded through the airport in the same period in 2019, achieving about 30,000 per week.

He said by midday Monday about 1000 visitors had arrived from Melbourne and Sydney and collectively New South Wales and Victoria contributed to about 46 per cent of domestic visitors to the Far North.

“Because the reopening was brought forward airlines didn’t have much time to change flights,” he said.

“But from next week capacity is building, so the week leading into Christmas, we should have 20 per cent more airline capacity than we did in 2019.”

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While state borders were closed, Jetstar had 13 weekly Cairns flights from Victoria and NSW.

But from Monday, it nearly tripled its Cairns schedule to 31 flights and planned to increase that number to 54 weekly flights next week in the lead-up to Christmas.

He said after completing the runway overlay repairs and domestic terminal upgrades last year, more works were on the cards as increased passenger numbers improved confidence to spend.

“The banks don’t want you spending money when there’s going to be no income,” he said.

“So we’re just going to take a cautious approach towards refurbishing the international terminal over the next couple of years.

“And we still have another three or four cafes and restaurants that we’ve delayed opening.

“We also want to support our existing businesses. They’ve stuck in there and the last thing we want to do is everyone opens and then everyone struggles.”

Mr Barker said while it was positive the border reopening would bring in tourism, it would also bring in Covid-19 cases.

“But we’re prepared. So we’re operating our operational teams so that if someone does get sick, only a small number of people have to isolate and we can keep going.”

Icons Cairns, a cafe inside the domestic departures lounge began trading in February 2020 and immediately had a rocky start to its tenure when hard restrictions came in about six weeks later.

Assistant manager Helen Carter said 2021 initially seemed the worst was in the past until the State’s border closed to Victoria and New South Wales.

“The business is just ticking along,” Ms Carter said.

“Our staff have all been on reduced hours, this week we ramped them up again.

“But we’re really just hoping for the borders to stop opening and closing now.”

Originally published as Queensland border reopening reunites Kuranda sisters with dad at Cairns Airport