The construction of a quarantine facility at Pinkenba is already progressing, but a sizeable reduction in capacity seems to be in the cards for the purpose-built facility.
Read: New Renewable Energy Training Facility Set for Construction in Pinkenba
The initial plan was to build a centre with capacity for up to 1,000 beds, with the first 500 beds to be built in the first quarter of 2022.
However, the federal government has confirmed they will review the plan, out of concern whether the next 500 beds will still be reasonable to build as Australia opens up sooner than expected.
At present, permanent residents and their immediate family have been given permission to enter Australia through NSW and Victoria without needing to stay in a quarantine facility. Plans are also being reviewed in the context of QLD having reached its vaccination target for border reopening.
Effective 13 December, QLD will allow fully vaccinated people to travel to the state without quarantining under certain conditions.
About the Pinkenba quarantine facility
The Pinkenba quarantine facility is one of the two regional accommodation centres being developed in Queensland. The other one is located in Toowoomba, on private land that will be leased to the State Government.
The facility, which will be built on a 30-ha Army Barracks in Pinkenba, is close to all necessary medical facilities, including three major hospitals. It’s located 3 km from the Brisbane airport and approximately 7km to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.
The Queensland Government previously worked with the Commonwealth to address a number of concerns with the Pinkenba site. A feasibility study by AECOM on the Pinkenba site raised a number of concerns that need to be addressed. These include issues relating to noise mitigation; environmental issues including the site being subject to flooding; and its historical use as a defence storage site.
A dedicated 1,000-bed quarantine facility will proceed in Qld on a 30-hectare Army barracks located in Pinkenba, just metres from Brisbane Airport.
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) August 16, 2021
The Qld Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Australian Government’s Pinkenba quarantine facility. pic.twitter.com/UM4ymqgmKL
“Whilst it will be used for any ongoing quarantine requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic, it will also be there in the years to come to support responses to natural disasters or other crises,” said Finance Minister Simon Birmingham.
Despite the issues with the land in Pinkenba, the site’s contractor Multiplex, is now ramping up work according to the federal government. The company has also been selected to deliver the purpose-built quarantine facility in Victoria.
“Multiplex is making strong progress in its work to deliver a similar purpose-built quarantine facility in Victoria, and I am pleased that we will be able to draw on their experience and expertise to deliver this centre in Queensland,” said Minister Birmingham.
