WITH COVID-19 restrictions putting a spanner in the works for tourism operators throughout the Scenic Rim, O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat was one of the hardest hit.
In February O'Reilly's management was shocked to discover the resort's insurance premiums had skyrocketed to the point where they would likely chew up all of the business' profits.
O'Reilly's managing director Shane O'Reilly said insurance increases were so large they might spell the end for tourism operators already struggling with the impact of the coronavirus crisis.
"On March 30 we had to close the whole business because of the COVID-19 government directive," he said.
"We had confirmed bookings all over Easter, so we had to cancel them.
"We are still here, and we have 80 staff on Jobkeeper payments, so we are getting a lot of gardening done."
Mr O'Reilly said the business was facing an insurance bill of more than a million dollars after the resort was evacuated during last year's bushfires and the annual premium went up from the $380,000 paid last year.
"They say insurance costs are cyclical and within two or three years they will go back to what they were," he said.
"The problem is figuring out how to keep going until then. It is truly ridiculous how much they went up and everyone in the industry would be feeling it."
Mr O'Reilly said the property was still fully insured but he had heard of other tourism operators choosing to cancel public liability insurance until restrictions were lifted and they could start taking bookings again.
This year O'Reilly's will also miss out on one of the busiest events on the tourism calendar after Eat Local Week was cancelled. In the meantime, Mr O'Reilly said the vineyard was selling wine online.
"We are selling a bit of wine and we have free delivery," he said.
"We have Mothers Day specials with pink wine and sparkling.
"We are still building the camp ground, that's happening now and hopefully it will be finished in time for the September school holidays.
"Hopefully everything will be up and running again by then."
Visit the O'Reilly's Canungra Valley Vineyards at oreillys.com.au/
