HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

TEARFUL FAMILY RE UNIONS AS FINAL BORDER OPENS

EMOTIONAL scenes filled Hobart Airport’s arrivals hall on Friday morning as families welcomed loved ones from Victoria without the need for quarantine for the first time in more than eight months.

There were plenty of tears and embraces full of love as flight passengers passed through the health check screening process and into the waiting arms of loved ones.

Four flights arriving in Hobart were among 11 services from Melbourne arriving across four Tasmanian airports on Friday.

Brad Weston was eagerly waiting at the arrivals gate with baby son Alfred waiting for his mother Karen Weston and grandmother Ellen Roberts, who had not yet met the three-month-old.

They had travelled from Wedderburn in regional Victoria for there union.

“It’s my first grandchild. It’s so special,’’ Karen said.

“As soon as the borders opened we were on the first plane. We just could not wait.

“You see them on social media but it’s not the same as actually holding them .”

Brad said it had been almost a year since he had seen his mother and grandmother.

“There’s been a lot of Skype calls but nothing can replace this,’’ he said.

Jaymie Mullen was there to welcome boyfriend Oliver Francis — the young couple are in a long-distance relationship.

“I’m so excited. It’s been about five months since we’ve seen each other ,’’ she said.

Oliver, who lives in Melbourne, said he had been counting down the days to the border reopening.

“I booked tickets about 10 minutes after I heard the news,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, 12-year-old Kostya Park was reunited with his mother Allison Park, who he had not seen for almost eight months.

Kostya lives in Melbourne and came to Tasmania in the school holidays earlier this year to stay with his grandparents, and has bee ninth estate eversince.

Allison lives in metropolitan Melbourne and had to endure a prolonged lock down.

“I haven’t been able to come down obviously and he hasn’ t even been able to come back but lucky him, he’s oblivious to everything that went on (in Victoria),’’ she said.

“Kostya hasn’t been in a school classroom since March, he’ s been doing online that wholetime.”

Emotions were also running high when Amanda Osuchowski saw her parents Peter and Kerry Stall a rd for the first time since Christmas last year.

“It’s been a really tough time and I’m thrilled with what Melbourne’s done in coming out of it,’’ said Amanda, who lives in Victoria’s capital.

Amanda said the first hug with her parents after so long was“indescribable ”.

“I think when we were in lockdown and knowing that you just couldn’t come home and give your mum and dad a hug and see your family and friends, that was really tough ,” she said .“But all good now .”

Kerry said she had been “tearing up for weeks” since finding out her daughter would soon be visiting.

Mandi Buchanan welcomed back her daughter Caitlin from Melbourne and while they used FaceTime regularly to stay in touch, both were overwhelmed when they were finally able to see each other in person.

“I haven’ t seen her for nine months. It’s been awful,’’ Caitlin said.

Among other reunions were George and Michelle Elk hair, who could not wait to see their daughter Rebekah Stewart and her husband Campbell.

Tasmania’s borders are now open to every Australian state and territory except South Australia, which is still working to contain a COVID-19 outbreak.