Unusual places to get a COVID vaccination
The locations for Australia’s COVID-19 vaccination rollout are almost as diverse as the people who are lining up for the jabs.
Hospitals, health centres, GP clinics and pharmacies are providing vaccines, but state and territory governments have employed many places not normally associated with health care.
In a tough year economically, governments have even rented retail and industrial space for this vital COVID response. Here are some of the more unusual COVID-19 vaccination sites.
ACT vaccination hubs
I heard about the new Covid vaccination centre at Canberra airport but didn’t expect this much fanfare pic.twitter.com/xyBEsVmXD9
— Leonie Doyle (@leoniedoyle) June 25, 2021
The ACT Government is inadvertently reminding Canberrans of the freedoms we’ll enjoy as COVID vaccination rates climb.
It has established vaccination hubs at Canberra Airport and the Australian Institute of Sport Stadium among five ACT Government vaccination sites.
Remembering the joys of a big sporting crowd or an overseas holiday is great incentive to get the jab.
VIC vaccination hubs
Victorians have a vast array of unusual vaccination locations. In August, Australia’s first drive-through COVID-19 vax clinic opened in an old Bunnings Warehouse. Sadly, there are no drive-through snags on the menu.
The former Ford factories in Geelong has powered up the drive to beat the pandemic, and its sister plant in Campbellfield, in Melbourne’s north, was also a vax centre until recently.
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If you accept that there is now a vaccination race, Victoria has you covered with racecourse vax clinics in Traralgon, Cranbourne and Sandown.
Excited to be using my clinical skills working at the mass vaccination centre at Sandown Park Racecourse…. Couldn’t believe it yesterday, vaccinations and racing… At the same time! The NHS vaccination programme… flippin’ awesome!! pic.twitter.com/gsIzHuiaC3
— Jane Lovatt (@JaneLovatt2) June 13, 2021
Where better to get a jab in the arm than an army depot? Kiarivu Barracks in Mildura is now in the frontline of the pandemic fight.
A tourism venue, the Mercure Hotel Ballarat and Convention Centre, has put its weight behind vaccination efforts in the goldfields city. Victoria is also taking COVID jabs on the road with pop-up hubs in hot spots in Melbourne’s north and west.
Tonight, on WIN News 📺
The State Government has revealed an ambitious vaccination plan alongside news that Ballarat’s Mercure Hotel and Convention Centre will become a major vaccination hub.Everything you need to know tonight at 6pm.
Ch 8 & 80(HD) | #WINNews6pm #SaveOurVoices pic.twitter.com/aCU7GAUAls— WIN News Ballarat (@WINNews_Bal) April 8, 2021
NSW vaccination hubs
NSW went for gold in the vaccination race with three vax centre at Sydney Olympic Park, in the city’s west.
#YourADF have been assisting @NSWHealth staff at Australia’s largest mass vaccination hub at Sydney Olympic Park.
ADF personnel are supporting about 300 Health workers at the centre, which can process up to 30,000 vaccines a week. #OpCovid19Assist pic.twitter.com/4j0XpHmeiG
— Department of Defence (@DeptDefence) August 17, 2021
Just as in Melbourne, a former Bunnings Warehouse in Belmont, on the Central Coast, has swapped hammers and nails for needles.
The former Bunnings site at Belmont has been confirmed as the state’s second mass vaccination centre.
Opening mid-July there will be capacity to administer up to 20,000 vaccines per week, which includes both the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines.https://t.co/vXqvWDtqct pic.twitter.com/lAZOSgoM0I— HNE Health (@HNEHealth) June 7, 2021
The old David Jones department store in Wollongong’s CBD is open to ensure Illawarra residents can get the jab.
South Australia vaccination hubs
Retail sites feature prominently in South Australia’s coronavirus vaccine locations, including the Myer Centre in Adelaide’s CBD and old retail spaces in Mount Barker in the Adelaide Hills, Gawler on Adelaide’s northern outskirts, Berri in the Riverland and Mount Gambier.
A pop-up COVID vaccination clinic is set to open in the Myer Centre on September 14. The clinic will offer appointments and walk-ins, but South Australians are urged to book their COVID jabs online. The latest in 7NEWS Adelaide at 5.30pm and 6pm | https://t.co/8ftPfFYTVQ #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/ANWMrfXcPu
— 7NEWS Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) September 4, 2021
In small towns in SA’s west, sporting facilities like the Cowell Bowling Club and the Elliston Sports Centre are in play, while old mechanics’ institutes in Streaky Bay, Kimba, Cummins and Cleve are also vaccination hubs.
The Adelaide Showgrounds are one of Adelaide’s major vax centres.
The Wayville mass vaccination hub has doubled in size.
35,000 more appointments are coming online from today.@9NewsAdel pic.twitter.com/tVdnlltHg8
— Harvey Biggs (@HarveyBiggs) September 7, 2021
Western Australia vaccination hubs
Perth shopping centres at Midland, Joondalup and Kwinana, Perth Airport and the Claremont Showgrounds house the city’s five government vaccine hubs.
This is the scene at Joondalup vaccination clinic as people are gathered in a large crowd waiting to be let in for their #covid vaccine #Perth #perthnews pic.twitter.com/Rz68coXjpZ
— Kathleen Balson (@KBalson) June 27, 2021
Outside Perth, regional public health units and immunisation clinics cater for vaccine demand.
NT vaccination hubs
Two suburban sports and social clubs, the Tracy Centre and the Palmerston Hub, both offer COVID vaccinations for the NT Government.
In the NT and across the outback, the Royal Flying Doctor Service has taken vaccines to more than 22,000 people in tiny remote communities and pastoral stations to ensure everyone who wants a jab can get one.
Queensland vaccination hubs
Queenslanders have also joined the vax race, with Brisbane’s Doomben Racecourse now also a COVID jab location.
Our new community vaccination clinic is open! Head to Doomben Racecourse for your COVID-19 vaccine.
📍75 Hampden St, Gate 5
💉Pfizer and AstraZeneca open to all eligible ages check your eligibility online)
⏰Monday to Sunday, 8.00am-3.50pm
👉Bookings key: https://t.co/3BTiSav8Qd pic.twitter.com/eqah75TDMP— Metro North Health (@MetroNorthHHS) June 9, 2021
Retail sites feature in Queensland’s response – in Toowoomba and the former Village Wholesale Centre in Kippa-Ring in Brisbane’s north.
Palm Island off the north Queensland coast is one of two island locations for vaccination hubs, along with Kangaroo Island in SA.
Tasmania vaccination hubs
Beyond hospitals and health centres, some Tasmanian COVID-19 vaccination centres have a distinct sporting flavour.
The Rosny Park Bowling Club and Blundstone Arena in Hobart, the Strachan Golf Club, the Devonport Surf Life Saving Club, the Ulverstone Rowing Club, and Scottsdale’s indoor sports centre are now vaccination centres along with the Heemskirk Motor Hotel in Zeehan on the west coast.
And while a South Launceston church hall isn’t an unusual location, its name helps us look to the future as vaccination rates rise. It’s the Door of Hope Church.
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