The closure of Australia’s international borders in 2020 and 2021, resulted in a dire shortage of seasonal overseas workers for South Australia’s billion-dollar annual fruit and vegetable harvest. This critical situation led the South Australian government, through its Department of Primary Industries, to repurpose a regional tourist resort and temporarily convert it into a dedicated, highly secure quarantine accommodation facility for low-risk contractors arriving under the Commonwealth Seasonal Worker Programme, with new arrivals expected every 14 days.
The project included designing and installing a high-tech perimeter security system at a converted tourist resort to maximise the integrity of a 5,000sqm quarantine accommodation facility for overseas agricultural workers, at Paringa in the state’s ‘fruit bowl’. Balancing the urgent requirements of industry and the importance of minimising the risk of virus escaping into the local community, the department contracted Sturdie Secure Technologies to design, engineer, and install reliable and effective multi-platform integrated security technology, all within a very tight timeframe.
Sturdie Secure Technologies division provided solutions through in-house design and engineering allowing the team to select, design and deploy efficient state-of the art security technologies within a very short timeframe. Sturdie’s designers and planners worked closely with a specialist group of stakeholders, including the Department of Primary Industries, SA Health and SA Police, to ensure that the system we delivered addressed the demands of each agency and not only met their expectations, but exceeded them where possible. The highly sensitive thermal cameras allowed for immediate notification to security personnel of any breach of the perimeter, while the PTZ cameras offered 24-hour remote visual monitoring capabilities. Together, they enabled security staff to quickly assess and act on any accidental or intentional breaches, while also preventing unnecessary responses to false triggers.
The Paringa Quarantine Facility became fully operational in mid-March 2021, and successfully housed over 800 seasonal workers, with the final occupants leaving in mid-June. In addition to providing security technology infrastructure and networking, Sturdie Secure Technologies specialists were also on hand throughout the life of the project to offer support and advice on the system’s use.
By installing a smart, high-level, integrated security platform, the on-site staffing costs were reduced, the integrity of the facility was maintained, the health of the community was safeguarded, and South Australia’s vital agricultural industries could operate productively with valuable crops once again able to be harvested.