STRADBROKE Island businesses face an uncertain future with restrictions on travel to remain in place despite the state government announcing they will roll-back some COVID-19 measures on Friday.
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Queenslanders will be allowed to travel within a 50 kilometre radius of their home for recreational purposes but that does not apply to Straddie where non-essential travel will remain off limits.
It is another hammer blow for local businesses who missed out on an influx of tourists over the Easter school holidays.
Straddie Chamber of Commerce president Colin Battersby said about 500 people had already lost their jobs on the island while a further 300 workers had received cuts to their hours.
He said the chamber was disappointed that Straddie was left off the list of islands reopening for recreational activities, particularly with beach trips to Townsville's Magnetic Island given the green light from Saturday.
"We think around about 80 per cent of the workforce is out of work at the moment. That is out of about 1200 people so it is fairly significant," he said.
"We have got to say we were a bit disappointed that Straddie was left out of that slight relaxation (of restrictions).
"There are a lot of businesses that are dying on the vine here. Things are pretty tight and a lot of people are unemployed.
"We will get back into business the day we get day-trippers and owners access to their houses and at the moment that is not happening.
"We are in the 50 kilometre zone, however, people still can't come here."
Mr Battersby said he had heard of at least two Stradbroke businesses closing as a result of financial strain during the pandemic.
He said businesses with financial weaknesses would be exposed while tourism is virtually non-existent.
"We have a Christmas period and then it gets quiet in February and March and we all rely on April to get us through the winter period but no one has got that this year," Mr Battersby said.
"Two thirds of the businesses in our membership aren't open as of today."
Retail shopping for non-essential items like clothes will be reinstated on Friday, with a two-square-metre social distancing rule to be observed.
Redlands Chamber of Commerce President Rebecca Young said the easing of restrictions would do little to boost mainland businesses.
Mr Battersby said it would be a similar case on Stradbroke where the relatively small population would not be enough to sustain the businesses that were still open.
"We are a tourist town, we need tourists," Mr Battersby said.
"There are 500 houses at Point Lookout and not many of them have got people in them at the moment.
"They are the people who go out an eat at the fish and chip shops, go down to the pub and all those sort of things."
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