WELCOME HOME: Olympians fly into Darwin from Tokyo for quarantine

Australian Olympians, officials and staff touched down at Darwin Airport on Monday afternoon to begin their mandatory quarantine at Howard Springs.

THE last of the Australian Olympians, officials and staff touched down at Darwin Airport on Monday afternoon to begin their mandatory quarantine at Howard Springs.

The contingency that included some of the 478 athletes from 30 sports had stayed back to participate in the closing ceremony on Sunday night.

They arrived in the Territory on time from their scheduled 5.40pm Tokyo flight.

But the star Olympians were holed up on the plane for at least 30 minutes before disembarking to the tarmac.

24 hours after the closing ceremony Australians Olympians arrive at Darwin International Airport en route to Howard Springs for 14 Days Quarantine. Picture: Glenn Campbell

24 hours after the closing ceremony Australians Olympians arrive at Darwin International Airport en route to Howard Springs for 14 Days Quarantine. Picture: Glenn Campbell

A second group of the travelling party waited back on the plane.

The sight of the cameras behind the fence with a handful of fans caused the Aussies to wave back in appreciation.

They were ushered away through a security side door in accordance to Covid protocol.

Buses were waiting behind black plastic-covered fences to whisk the arrivals to the quarantine facility 30kms south of Darwin.