Various groups are calling on the Federal Government to support more onshore quarantine facilities. 

Northern Territory farming and business groups say that a former detention centre 50 kilometres from Darwin, previously known as Wickham Point, should be repurposed to help bring in foreign workers.

They say international students who wish to study in Australia could also be processed through the facility. 

The NT is already running the Howard Springs quarantine facility, but this is only available for the repatriation of Australians.

Wickham Point, now known as Bladin Village, is being used by the Australian Defence Force and workers in the gas industry, but that contract reportedly expires on July 17. It has the capacity for more than 1,400 people.

Federal Minister for Employment Stuart Robert was in Darwin this week. He did not comment on the Bladin Village proposal, but said the government is considering quarantine proposals in Queensland and Victoria. 

It comes after the Victorian government confirmed plans for a purpose-built quarantine hub in Melbourne's north, calling on the Commonwealth to pay for its construction.

The state’s proposal puts the cost of construction for 500 beds at $200 million, to be located next to an existing pet quarantine site in Mickleham, about 30 kilometres north of Melbourne's CBD.

Acting Premier James Merlino says the federal government has received the proposal and “the request to the Commonwealth is they pay for the construction of this facility and ultimately take ownership of this facility”.

COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria (CQV) would run the operations at the site, which is expected to take about 8 months to complete. 

The state has paid $15 million for design plans. 

Meanwhile, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says quarantine facilities on Christmas Island or in regional Queensland are “good avenues” for Australians stuck overseas. 

Queensland is campaigning for a quarantine facility near Toowoomba, but it needs Commonwealth approval for international flights to land at the nearby Wellcamp airport.

“I cannot understand how you cannot have a simple answer to a very simple question: ‘Will you allow international flights into Wellcamp, yes or no?’,” Ms Palaszczuk said this week.

“We cannot get a simple answer out of the federal government and out of Scott Morrison.”

Reports say the federal government has called for more details on the state's plan.