Theme Parks announce their reopening dates as Queensland moves to lift border restrictions

Theme parks across Queensland are preparing to reopen with strict coronavirus safety measures in place to protect visitors and staff.

Sea World and Paradise Country on the Gold Coast will open to the public on June 26.

Australian Outback Spectacular will reopen on July 3 while Movie World and Wet’n’Wild are looking to reopen on July 15 in line with Queensland’s roadmap to recovery.

Staff will be on hand to provide extra cleaning on rides and around the parks which will remain as contactless as possible, according to Village Roadshow.

Park owners have indicated tickets would likely be your mobile phone rather than printed. 

The parks will operate at 50 per cent capacity initially but it is hoped they will be at full capacity by September – just in time for the New South Wales school holidays.

Village Roadshow Theme Parks chief operating officer Bikash Randhawa told the Gold Coast Bulletin they were unsure what the public response would be.

‘This is like shooting an arrow in the dark with the borders still closed. We don’t know what the level of confidence will be out there.’

The move comes as the state government takes steps to reopen its borders – providing a much-needed boost to the economy.

Paradise Country on the Gold Coast will open to the public on June 26 (pictured: A staff member from the theme park)

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has suggested that he borders could reopen on July 10, dependent on whether cases remain low.

The border closure has impacted 65,000 jobs across the Sunshine State and prevented a $650 million cash-injection into the tourism sector. 

Ms Palaszczuk has faced harsh criticism over the decision to keep borders closed, despite national health authorities arguing there was no need for the strict measures.

But she has stood firm on the decision.  

‘There are now just five active cases of COVID-19 in Queensland compared with 73 active cases in New South Wales and 49 active cases in Victoria,’ she said this week.

‘Of course, we recognise businesses are doing it tough but they would be doing it even tougher if there was an outbreak of community transmission in Queensland.’

Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham previously said the state was more reliant on tourism than most others in Australia, and would haemorrhage money. 

‘Tourism businesses currently have no choice and no access to international visitors, and if we also leave them with no access to interstate visitors, then they’re going to be bleeding in terms of viability and job losses for a long time,’ he said. 

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has faced harsh criticism over the decision to keep borders closed, despite national health authorities arguing there was no need for the measure