Interstate visitors are required to have a Covid-19 PCR test five days after their arrival in Queensland.  Whilst this is inconvenient for visitors seeking rest and relaxation, the testing is in the interests of community health with visitors willing to comply with the ruling.

The major issue, however, is that there is no testing clinic in Port Douglas. 

Thousands of visitors are just about to arrive into our Shire, with most requiring the PCR test.  

The only place they can have the PCR test in the Douglas Shire is in Mossman, a 25 minute car trip away.  

Queensland Health fails to understand is that most of our visitors do NOT have car.  

NOR is there any public transport between Mossman and Port Douglas.

The logistics of transporting this volume of people to and from Mossman Hospital without public transport is beyond challenging.  

Factor in too, the inconvenience for visitors who will need to dedicate essentially a day to this mission.  

This is shocking publicity for the Far North’s tourism industry – one that desperately needs good PR after a critical two years.  

While Port Douglas is a small town, it is a very large tourist destination with thousands of visitors expected over this peak Christmas and New Year period. 

It therefore urgently needs its own COVID testing facility.

Please sign this petition urging Queensland Health:

(1) to provide a COVID testing facility in the centre of Port Douglas

(2) to do so prior to Christmas, as a matter of urgency

By doing so, you will help support the embattled tourism industry of the Far North, and the many thousands of interstate visitors who have chosen to visit and support our local economy.

 

Updates /

On Thursday 16 December, Queensland Health have announced that they will organise for one mini van to transport visitors to Mossman Hospital for their  Day 5 COVID test.  Unfortunately, given the hundreds of visitors who will need this service, it will likely prove to be woefully inadequate.

On Friday 17 December, Queensland Health responded with a proposed pop-up testing station in Port Douglas from 17 – 20 December. This is a completely redundant measure because interstate travellers who require a five-day test only start arriving today, December 17 and the earliest date that they require a COVID test is therefore 22 December.