Wellcamp quarantine hub nearing completion outside Toowoomba by Wagner Corporation

Guests will be staying at Toowoomba’s new quarantine facility within weeks, as the first stage at Wellcamp nears completion. See the photos here.

John Wagner (left) and Deputy Premier Steven Miles, quarantine hub at Wellcamp Airport. Picture: Nev Madsen.

International students and returning travellers will be staying at Toowoomba’s quarantine facility within weeks, with the first stage of the hub now “practically completed”.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles inspected the first of 130 modules at the Wellcamp facility, which will house up to 1000 people once fully finished in April next year.

Mr Miles said landlord and project manager Wagner Corporation would hand over the running of the facility to Queensland Health and Queensland Police from December 31, with the first guests to arrive shortly afterwards.

Single rooms will cost about $3200 for a 14-day stay, while a family room with two children will cost nearly $5500.

This was in line with current charges for hotel accommodation in Brisbane.

Mr Miles said specialised quarantine facilities like Wellcamp would mainly be used for overseas students, workers and returning Australian tourists, but could also be used by locals who couldn’t isolate at home.

“Throughout that entire time, we’ve had a need for accommodation, we’ve largely relied on hotel quarantine but this facility gives us another option,” he said.

“We know that we need to start getting skilled migrants into a range of industries, including the agricultural sector.

Denis Wagner (left) John Wagner and Deputy Premier Steven Miles, quarantine hub at Wellcamp Airport. Monday, December 20, 2021. Picture: Nev Madsen.

“At the moment close contacts are isolating at home (but) there are some people who can’t quarantine at home, so this facility will give us another option.

“There are a wide arrangement of different cohorts who could be accommodated here, and that will depend on the situation in that time.”

Deputy Premier Steven Miles (left) and John Wagner, quarantine hub at Wellcamp Airport. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Mr Miles said the State Government was still finalising how the facility would operate, but said the work would be completed by next week.

“There is work under way now on the operating model for that staffing, so we’re confident we’ll have that completed,” he said.

“This facility will be used for a wide range of purposes — I wish we had it available for the past 18 months.

“Having the best tools available is what gives us the widest range of options.”

Wagner Corp chairman John Wagner said he was proud of the efforts of the 400 workers who had helped deliver the facility on time.

“It’s been a very difficult project to bring in such a short space of time, but it’s been a fantastic thing for Toowoomba and our region,” he said.

“There are approximately 400 people on site right now and it’s fantastic to see them working as a team.

“We thank the State Government for entrusting us to do this development for them.”

The quarantine hub outside Wellcamp Airport. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Mr Wagner also hinted at what the facility could be used for after the government was finished with using the facility for quarantine purposes.

“Once the government vacates the premises, we have a number of potential options for it,” he said.

“One is our Wellcamp entertainment precinct, which we’d like to get under way next year if the Federal Government gives us the funding.

“There’s Inland Rail coming through and there will be accommodation needed for that.

“There are a range of things we can do with it.”