US Marines sent to Darwin for MRF-D to quarantine at Bladin Point Immigration Detention Centre

A former immigration detention centre in Darwin will be used to quarantine US Marines deployed to the Northern Territory as part of an annual military exercise, the Chief Minister has revealed.

A FORMER immigration detention centre in Darwin will be used to quarantine US Marines deployed to the Northern Territory as part of an annual military exercise, the Chief Minister has revealed.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner on Friday confirmed the first batch of 2200 US Marines scheduled to be flown to Darwin as part of Marine Rotational Force Darwin (MRF-D) had arrived.

They will quarantine at RAAF Base Darwin.

But Mr Gunner said the next tranches of US Marines will be sent to quarantine at Bladin Point, now known as Bladin Village, and owned by the same businessman that owns the adjacent ex-detention facility Wickham Point.

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Front entrance of Bladin Village. Picture: Supplied

Bladin Point Immigration Detention Facility was shut in April 2015 and held low risk detainees.

The rejigged facility now known as Bladin Village is touted, in its website, as “able to accommodate up to 750 people in two co-located villages and features contemporary facilities for a modern transient workforce”.

The villages also have “conference and office space with world-class communications and two large lots for hardstand storage”.

The NT News has approached Defence to confirm Mr Gunner’s comments.

It comes after the NT News last week revealed special COVID-19 plans, which include housing the US Marines at a “secure facility outside Darwin” for 14 days, have been drawn up for what will be the tenth MRF-D.

Bedroom at Bladin Village. Picture: Supplied

The new head of Northern Command in Darwin, Colonel Marcus Constable, would not confirm what facility would be used to quarantine the US Marines.

“We are working through in detail for a facility outside of Darwin, it is not hotel quarantine, but a facility outside of Darwin that provides all the requisite requirements to be able to conduct safe quarantine facilities,” Colonel Constable said.

“It is not the same facility as Howard Springs. This is deliberate so we do not in any way remove capacity for the repatriation of Australians returning into the country.

“The facility we will be using will provide like levels of a quarantining standards.”

US Marines disembark at RAAF Base Darwin, NT, to join the 2019 Marine Rotational Force – Darwin. SUPPLIED

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said the procedures for managing the MRF-D’s arrival, quarantine and possible cases of COVID-19 had been developed and agreed in full consultation with NT Health authorities and will strictly adhere to all Australian government requirements to mitigate the risk of COVID-19.

She said all US personnel would undergo COVID-19 testing within 72 hours of departure for Australia and presenting a negative result before boarding. They must then complete mandatory 14-day quarantine, which includes COVID-19 testing on arrival in Australia and again before exiting quarantine.