Victoria’s hard border closure with New South Wales is having one surprising side effect … it’s causing a mini-boom in outback Queensland towns like Birdsville.
Since the travel restrictions took effect on January 1, hundreds of Victorians travelling in Queensland have opted for an alternate route home, which takes at least 30 hours longer.
The ABC reports that, instead of the direct 18-hour trek down the Pacific Highway through hotspot Sydney, many have driven west instead, clocking up 4,000 kilometres through outback Queensland and South Australia before re-entering Victoria.
This despite the fact that people coming from Queensland or the ACT are now allowed to travel through NSW as long as they have a permit and minimise stops. It seems then that many are simply embracing the opportunity to do something different.
Birdsville typically receives no tourists over Christmas, but the local pub has welcomed more than 70 bookings since Boxing Day, almost all of them Victorians on the way home.
Birdsville Hotel general manager Ben Fullagar told News Corp that the town had welcomed the unexpected tourism boost.
“We love having all these extra people out here … it’s great for business in regional areas,” he said. “The trip is quite achievable, as long as people do their research … currently these roads are only open to four wheel drives.”
RACQ spokesperson Clare Hunter said that while motorists might see the long way home as their only option, it wasn’t suited to everyone.
“Unless you have all the gear, you have no idea,” she told the ABC. “A breakdown on outback roads presents a myriad of challenges, especially if there are caravans to consider so it’s important your roadside assistance covers you for the trip.”
Elsewhere, the border closure is still hurting the tourism industry.
The NSW town of Moama perched on the Victorian border is feeling the pain at a time campers would normally be packing the banks of the Murray River and enjoying the region’s attractions
“Our towns are suffering something terrible,” said Moama resident, Pat Caine. “Victoria hasn’t done any justice to regional towns, along the border especially, because we’ve had no cases up this way … and it’s heartbreaking, it really is heartbreaking.”
“.. travel through NSW as long as they have a permit and minimise stops. It seems then that many are simply embracing the opportunity to do something different.” What an uninformated statement. people may have to travel for 1000+KM to do this in one go as you are not allowed to stay overnight, this is an extremely dangerous policy.