A massive new Great Barrier Reef resort is set to be built in Queensland..
The state government has just approved plans for the $600 million Great Keppel Island resort … and now the ambitious project just needs the green light from the federal government.
If it goes ahead, it would become one of this country’s largest ever tourist developments.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Tower Holdings’ plans for the island off Rockhampton include a hotel, hundreds of villas, dozens of apartments, a large marina and a golf course.
The ‘eco-tourism’ project would use 3.5% of the island for infrastructure compared with the 8% suggested in a previous plan rejected by the Commonwealth for environmental reasons.
The Queensland Tourism Industry Council says the resort had broad support in the community and would become a major attraction for the Sunshine State, leveraging off the appeal of the Great Barrier Reef.
The Queensland government says all possible environmental impacts of the new proposals have now been covered under 38 pages of conditions which the developers would have to abide by.
However, the Australian Greens say the project is a ‘white elephant’ and laugh at its eco-tourism label.
Do you think major tourist developments like this are a good thing? Have you ever been shocked at the changes when returning to a previous ‘favourite destination’?
