Everything you need to know about Queensland reopening its' border

WORDS Jasmine Pirovic PUBLISHED Tue, 19 Oct 2021 - 5:35 pm

As the festive season approaches, a question on everyones lips is whether Queensland will be reopening its border in time for Christmas. Certainly we're keen to slip on our string bikinis and make up for cancelled holidays, but for many of us open borders in Queensland is the difference between celebrating a wholesome Christmas among family or spending it alone.

Now, it seems we finally have our answer. Yesterday (October 18) in a press conference, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk outlined Queensland's roadmap to reopening after the state recorded zero new locally acquired cases in the last 24 hours. Included in the plan were the exact dates for eased travel restrictions into Queensland - a bid to unite families and friends for the holidays. So mark your calendars and book your flights, from December 17 fully-vaccinated travellers will be allowed to enter Queensland. But will we still have to quarantine? Find all the details below.

Will we still have to quarantine?

Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced that after December 17 people travelling into Queensland won't be required to quarantine. Soothing words, we're sure, for those who thought they would be separated from their family and friends come Christmas time.

Could borders open even sooner?

At the moment it appears that the Queensland state government is gearing up to begin a phased border reopening from November 19. What this means it that as soon as next month, double-vaxxed folk wishing to travel to Queensland from domestic hotspots - Victoria and New South Wales - are permitted to; as long as they arrive by air, have a negative Covid-19 test in the previous 72 hours and quarantine for 14 days at home upon arrival. So if you want to avoid having to isolate for 14 days, it's probably best to hold out until December 17.

Annastacia also remarked that while the modelling demonstrated that 80% of Queenslanders could be fully-vaccinated by December 17, if these vaccination targets were met sooner, borders could open even earlier...

Now that travel to Queensland has officially been given the green light, here are 14 holiday destinations to explore on your trip to the sunshine state.