The Queensland Government is pushing ahead with a dedicated COVID-19 quarantine facility that the Federal Government rejected. 

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced approval of a project on vacant land owned by Wagner Corporation, just outside Toowoomba, west of Brisbane.

“Our hotels were not built for the Delta strain of this virus,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“This is going to be a great boost for our defence against the Delta virus in this country, and in fact I believe we need regional facilities, right across the country.

“I have been advocating for this for a long, long time. It is a no-brainer.”

Up to 500 beds are set to be available by the end of the year, before reaching a total capacity of 1,000 by March next year.

Wagners put forth the plan in January to use its privately-owned Wellcamp Airport as the landing point for Australians stranded overseas.

The group has entered into a financial arrangement with the state government that will be commercial-in-confidence. The Queensland Government has reportedly signed a one-year lease, with the option of extending. 

The government says it hopes the facility will prevent future lockdowns, several of which have been sparked by the virus leaking out of hotel quarantine.

The Federal Government has nothing to do with the idea, after saying in June that the plan did not meet the criteria for a Commonwealth-funded quarantine compound.

The Commonwealth wants a facility built at the Damascus Barracks instead, which is about 5 minutes’ drive from Brisbane Airport.

In response to the announcement this week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Ms Palaszczuk has “been at liberty” to build the site “for months”.

“They've made that decision and they could have done that months ago if that's what they wish to do, but it's good for them and I wish them every success,” he said. 

Ms Palaszczuk says having both the Wellcamp facility and a federal government-funded Damascus facility will greatly reduce the need for quarantine hotels.