Laksa, barra and more on the menu at Howard Springs quarantine for $3.5m

WE received a sample menu of what repatriated Aussies are being served up in Howard Springs — and it’s delicious. CLICK TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY’RE EATING

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BARRAMUNDI and laksa bowls are some of the tasty meals being served up to repatriated Aussies in Howard Springs quarantine at the cost of about $3.5 million.

The National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre (NCCTRC) is paying Karen Sheldon’s premium catering company to provide meals to overseas arrivals in Howard Springs.

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A sample menu obtained by the NT News shows quarantiners are being served up everything from mangoes to chicken and prawn laksa bowls, Korean bibimbap bowls and wild-caught local barramundi fillets.

An NCCTRC spokeswoman said so far $3.5 million has been allocated to meals and highlighted that “food is important to health and mental wellbeing in quarantine”.

They have also provided TeamHealth with an initial amount of $36,000 to provide phone-based mental health support to overseas arrivals.

The Welcome to the Territory snack pack repatriated Aussies from overseas get when they arrive at Howard Springs.

Brisbane teacher Rebecca Clare is among the 160 stranded Aussies who arrived from London last week and are now getting acquainted with the daily routine of quarantine in Howard Springs.

“The food is amazing in here, all fresh and healthy,” Ms Clare said.

“As soon as we arrived, they gave us all Welcome to the Territory snack packs with locally made chocolates, melting moments and dried mango packs.

“Everyone in here including families have said it is a huge improvement than being locked up in a hotel room as we can sit outside and chat to others around us from our balconies and we can normally exercise twice a day.”

One of the daily meal deliveries overseas arrivals in Howard Springs this week.

The federal government is funding the quarantine services for the repatriated Australians, while the NT government is funding quarantine services for interstate arrivals.

Interstate arrivals in Howard Springs receive their meals from a different company to the overseas arrivals.

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The NT government awarded a $24 million contract to Northern Rise Village Services Pty Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delaware North, to provide staff to clean, deliver groceries guests had ordered online, provide meals and also carry out general facilities maintenance.