Caravan holiday hits roadblock on return

A HOWRAH couple has been caravanning around Australia to support tourism, but amid the recent wave of lockdowns the pair are in a struggle to return home.

Before the Delta strain sent the country “pear-shaped”, Christopher Smith said he and partner Christine Robertson were enjoying campfires, swimming and cookouts in farnorth Queensland with friends and family.

But the stress over lockdowns and “confusing” quarantine rules has put a dent in 75-year-old Mr Smith’s holiday spirit.

The pair hoped to return to Tasmania with their van for a quarantine stint at home.

But they feared travelling through high-risk level one area NSW would force them to pay $3800 for hotel quarantine once they reached Devonport.

Another costly option could force the pensioners to leave their van in Brisbane and fly down, then pay $8000 to bring the vehicle to Tasmania.

“You’re constantly thinking ‘what do I do, how can I get myself out’,” he said.

“This hit us like a ton bricks.”

Mr Smith said he had heard conflicting anecdotes from friends in similar situations, with one couple heading straight to hotel quarantine after arriving via boat, and another couple allowed to quarantine from home.

Out of desperation, the couple has found what they hope is a creative fix to their issue, with plans to drive in a convoy with two other Tasmanian couples from Queensland through the Northern Territory and Southern Australia until they can board the boat from Victoria.

“We were reluctant to do it on our own,” Mr Smith said.

“We’re going to team up and help each other.”

He hoped the extra 4000km detour would be worthwhile.

“We just keep our fingers crossed when we get to Victoria we can pass through,” he said.

The Tasmania government’s Covid website says people transiting from a low or medium-risk area through NSW to Tasmania – “even if only stopping for fuel” – will be subject to the same quarantine requirements as those who have spent time in NSW.

“Anyone who has spent time in a high risk (Level 1) area in the 14 days before arriving in Tasmania – including returning Tasmanians – will not be permitted to enter Tasmania unless approved as an Essential Traveller,” the website reads.

“Arrivals on the Spirit of Tasmania ferry will quarantine at a government-designated hotel in Devonport.”