Pack the rod and reel

Premier lifts Cape travel bans

FISHING trips to parts of Cape York are finally back on the cards with the State Government flagging a plan to lift travel restrictions on Friday.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk held a teleconference with Cape York mayors and chief medical officer Dr Jeannette Young on Wednesday to discuss the new intentions.

She said restrictions currently blocking tourists from travelling to Cooktown would be overturned from Friday, with mayors of other remote communities free to make their own border decisions.

Cooktown Chamber of Commerce treasurer and The Lure Shop Tackleworld Cooktown owner Russell Bowman said local business operators were grateful for the potential tourism upswing.

“It’s school holidays and everybody is poised to go, but there have certainly been some winners and losers in this race,” he said.

“This is sensational news.” The Cooktown business community has been frustrated at a lack of communication coming out of Brisbane after the premier made no mention of the shire on Tuesday when she announced visitors would be allowed from every state except Victoria.

Mr Bowman said it had been heartbreaking to see his friends so downbeat and scared for their livelihoods.

“Some guys have really been struggling,” he said.

“We’ve had some almost break down on Zoom meetings just out of frustration.

“They’ve had their whole world pulled out from underneath them, and nobody can put together a business plan that covers a pandemic.”

Mr Bowman was confident there would be a late rush of visitors.

“There’s been a lot of people in Cairns, the Tablelands and north breaking their neck to get a chance for a quick fishing trip to Lakefield National Park,” he said.

The crisis has had at least one positive effect with Cape residents rediscovering how much Cooktown’s retail sector has to offer.

“Hopefully, if we’re smart about it, we can get a really big buy-local campaign together as a chamber to keep that going,” Mr Bowman said.

Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch said the decision was overdue but welcome.

“There are 319 businesses within the Cook Shire that now have some opportunity to recover at least some of their losses,” he said.

“I would encourage anybody in our region to go up there and spend a few days and a few dollars. These guys could really use it.”

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