Park has sights set on visitors
HAPPY campers are packing the gear and plotting the fastest possible routes to their favourite spots with unrestricted instrastate travel now an option. NRMA Palm Cove Holiday Park managers Paul and Teresa Boswell have been innundated with inquiries and are busy preparing for the welcome rush to their piece of paradise from this weekend.
ACROSS the Far North there has been a frenzied reaction to further easing of COVID travel restrictions as campers prepare to hit the road this weekend.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has declared the return of unrestricted Queensland travel and the opening of the state’s campgrounds.
“From the Gold Coast to Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast to Gympie … from Longreach to Mt Isa, to Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville and Cairns, Queenslanders will now be able to rediscover their state, travelling for as many nights as they like,” she said.
Palm Cove Campground manager Teresa Boswell said the team at the Williams Esplanade park had been rushed off their feet preparing for an influx of campers.
“It will definitely be good to get people back here and we have been so busy. Every phone call I have about three voicemails with people trying to get through,” she said.
“It’s nice to see Queenslanders wanting to travel in Queensland because normally people at this time of year it’s mainly southern people.”
However the reopening of the campground came with strict COVID-safe regulations.
“We have got more cleaning equipment and sanitiser, signage around to make sure the correct amount of people are in the correct space,” Ms Boswell said.
“And we are doing express check-in. Normally people would come in through reception. We have been able to do everything online … and just them get in.”
After being shut down for two months Ms Boswell said she expected the sought-after campground right on the beach would book out quickly.
“The phone has not stopped ringing, so it’s definitely looking positive,” she said.
“Palm Cove is a beautiful place and you have all the restrictions in the cafes being lifted. So I think we are getting back to a sense of normality. People have been stuck in the house for the last couple of months and it will be nice (for them) to get out in the fresh air.”
Cairns Camping Specialist owner Lance Edward said he had noticed an immediate surge in business off the back of an easing of travel restrictions.
“People are already talking about going away this weekend,” Mr Edward said.
“We would have liked to have seen the Far North with no cases to open up earlier but we are two weeks earlier than what we are supposed to be, so that’s a good thing.”