The Queensland Government will not renew the lease of the Wellcamp quarantine facility on the Darling Downs when it expires next month.
A spokesperson for Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the facility’s location meant “that other uses … are not straightforward”.
“The facility remains available until the end of the current lease and following that, its future use will be determined by Wagner Corporation.”
The 1000-bed facility opened in early 2022 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and cost taxpayers more than $220 million in set-up and running costs.
It was built on privately-owned land at Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport, operated by the Wagner family.
Only about 730 people stayed at the facility when it was a designated quarantine site.
Wagner Corporation chairman John Wagner said the quarantine facility would now be used to house agriculture sector workers.
More to come.