Meet the couple who lost $80,000 in one day after Annastacia Palazczuk closed the border

‘I’m so p***ed off!’ Meet the couple who lost $80,000 in one day after Annastacia Palazczuk slammed the border shut to Sydneysiders

  • Queensland resort owners $80,000 out of pocket after state border is shut again
  • Sam and Kerri-Ann Charlton were hopeful of a busy season at their island resort
  • The Bedarra Island Resort was flooded with cancellations after border closure

The owners of a luxury resort have revealed they lost $80,000 when the Queensland government closed its border to Sydney residents after an increase in coronavirus infections in the NSW capital.  

Sam and Kerri-Ann Charlton own the Bedarra Island Resort on the Great Barrier Reef and were hopeful of a busy season when Queensland’s travel restrictions started to ease in early July.  

But when it was announced the border will be closed to Sydney residents from Saturday, August 1, the resort was flooded with cancellations.   

‘We’ve had to cancel four to five villas for this weekend, which is about $80,000 down the drain. I’m so p***ed off,’ Ms Charlton said.

Queensland resort owners Sam and Kerri-Ann Charlton say they are ‘p***ed off’ after the state government closed the border to Sydney, costing them $80,000 in business

Mr and Mrs Charlton own the luxury Bedarra Island Resort (pictured) and said their phones were ringing off the hook with cancellations after the border announcement

Mr and Mrs Charlton own the luxury Bedarra Island Resort (pictured) and said their phones were ringing off the hook with cancellations after the border announcement

Mr Charlton said much of their business comes from south of the border, The Financial Review reported. 

‘It’s like a double whammy. Close to 25 per cent of the bookings we’re holding at the moment are from the greater Sydney region,’ he said. 

‘Any time the premier or Chief Health Officer gets up and makes a statement, our phones run red hot with cancellations. It’s almost uncanny.’

The couple said when they heard the news it was like being told there had been a ‘death in the family’.

Tourism Tropical North Queensland chief executive Mark Olsen agreed the border closure was a major blow for tourism in the state. 

Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk threatened to ‘slam the border shut’ on July 27 before announcing the ban on Sydneysiders on Wednesday after the number of cases continued to rise.

Mr Chalrton said 25 per cent of current bookings at the resort (pictured) were people from the Sydney area

Mr Chalrton said 25 per cent of current bookings at the resort (pictured) were people from the Sydney area 

The premier added 31 local government areas in Sydney to the COVID-19 ‘hotspot’ list. 

Ms Palaszczuk said any decisions on further hotspots or border closures will be made on the advice of Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young.

‘That advice has stood Queensland in a very good position,’ the premier said.

‘Every single day we are monitoring the situation in NSW.’ 

Daily Mail Australia have contacted Mr and Mrs Charlton for further comment.  

The Queensland Government announced the border would be closed to Sydney from August 1 after she added 31 more local government areas to the city's COVID-19 'hotspot' list (police checkpoint in Coolangatta is pictured)

The Queensland Government announced the border would be closed to Sydney from August 1 after she added 31 more local government areas to the city’s COVID-19 ‘hotspot’ list (police checkpoint in Coolangatta is pictured)

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