$220million Toowoomba Wellcamp quarantine centre given by Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk

A $220 million quarantine center has been handed over to a real estate mogul after housing just 730 tourists in the 1,000-bed facility for 14 months.

The Wellcamp facility near Toowoomba, 127km west of Brisbane, was donated to the Wagner Corporation on Saturday after acting as a quarantine camp for unvaccinated tourists last year.

The facility remained largely unused during the pandemic after completion of construction in February 2022, just as covid restrictions were eased across the country.

Prime Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk announced prior to construction that Queensland would pay for the entire project following a political row with then Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Now Josh Wagner and the Wagner Corporation will inherit the facility free of charge when the government’s lease expires.

Prime Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk announced prior to construction that Queensland would pay for the project, which ended up costing more than $300,000 per person

Wagner, one of the state’s wealthiest men, says the area will become part of a $175 million entertainment district.

“This is the worst decision ever made by a state government on behalf of the taxpayer,” deputy opposition leader Jarrod Bleijie told the broadcaster. Courier mail.

“The Prime Minister has never apologized for it and she should, because the people of Queensland will be paying the price for this waste for a long time to come.

“It’s a $500,000 a day bill that could have helped Queensland residents in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis.”

The anticipated ‘Wellcamp Entertainment Precinct’ will temporarily house farm workers before being converted into a private hotel.

Although the facility acted as a quarantine base, the number of people entering the country who had to use it never exceeded the number of beds.

The 730 that did use it during his ill-fated tenure equate to a cost of more than $300,000 per person.

Deputy Prime Minister and Planning Minister Steven Miles defended the development of the site, stressing that it would help the state’s post-pandemic recovery efforts.

“This supported our economic recovery and ensured the safety of Queensland residents,” Miles said.

“The day before the government announced our intention to build Wellcamp, in August 2021, we had to interrupt motorway arrivals because all our quarantine hotels were full.

“There were 5114 people in 22 quarantine hotels at the highest point and multiple outbreaks caused by hotel leaks.”

While the camp was empty, humanitarian groups begged the prime minister to allow people in need, including the homeless, to stay there, but were repeatedly turned down.

The Wellcamp facility will now become part of a $127 million ‘Wellcamp Entertainment Precinct’ currently under development by the Wagner Corporation

The center began construction during the peak period of the pandemic in Australia, but did not open until February 2022 when restrictions were already relaxed

The Wellcamp facility was taking in mostly unvaccinated tourists who had to quarantine in line with Queensland’s mandate for international travel.

Now the project is under review by the Auditor General of Queensland, who is conducting an investigation into the costs and decisions that led to the site being commissioned.

This study is expected to be completed within the next two months.

As Brisbane prepares for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Mr Wagner told The Courier-Mail he hoped the district would become an aging infrastructure project.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Prime Minister Palaszczuk’s office and the Wagner Corporation for comment.