Having only poured the first concrete seven weeks ago, Queensland’s first regional quarantine facility, built by Institute Bronze Member, Wagners, close to Toowoomba, the first stage is set to be completed by late next month.
Construction of the 1000-bed centre will provide 350-400 jobs, according to the Queensland Government. Despite the state commencing a trial of home quarantine mid-October, Deputy Premier Steven Miles said this would not negate the need for the Wagners-built centre.
The centre under construction near the Wellcamp Airport and the future Wellcamp Entertainment Precinct, a motorsport and performing arts venue, is also earmarked to host international students, returning Queensland travellers and agricultural workers.
Meanwhile, Multiplex was awarded a contract in late August to construct a purpose-built quarantine facility on Defence land in Pinkenba close to Brisbane’s airport for the Australian Government. The Multiplex-built facility was not expected to be ready for use until late 2022, but is now rumoured to have half the capacity of Wagners’ quarantine centre, with the company forecasting construction to be finished by April after it was ramped up.
Multiplex also has contracts to build quarantine facilities in Victoria and Western Australia for the federal government. The $200 million 1000-bed facility in Melbourne will be located in Mickleham while the WA centre will be at Jandakot Airport just south of Perth.
Image: Illustration of the Wellcamp facility. Source: Queensland Government.
About the author
Desi Corbett
Desi is the Editor of Concrete in Australia and at the helm of our magazine for 8 years. She was behind the Institute's weekly news bulletins from 2016-2021 and is now writing our focused news items. Desi has been an engineering news and features journalist/editor across all disciplines since 2013 - part of a 30-year career writing for a wide range of industries.