Sustainable Sport NEWS

A proposed $600 million redevelopment of the Great Keppel Island resort has been approved by the Queensland Government.

The first major new resort project on the Great Barrier Reef in 25 years will include a 250-room hotel, 750 resort villas, 600 apartments, a 250-berth marina and a Greg Norman-designed golf course.

With both the Queensland and Federal Governments having rejected two earlier proposals, Tower Holdings' approved project has been dramatically downsized from original plans.

Queensland Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney said the approval was a significant step forward for one of the biggest touted tourism developments in the country, stating that the project will "provide a huge boost to both the construction and tourism industries - two of Queensland's four key economic pillars."

With Tower Holdings' original $2.6 billion plan first rejected by the Queensland Government in 2006, the Great Keppel Island Revitalisation Plan project will sit on 3.5% of the island, compared with 17% under the first proposal.

The approved project is for a low-rise, 'eco-friendly' precinct that promises to generate more renewable electricity than it consumes.

Environmental outcomes for the project include:

• Buffer zones to protect habitats and provide fauna corridors;

• Potentially Australia's first carbon-positive resort island with more than 24,000 solar panels to be installed to meet the resort's energy needs;

• Re-use of dredge material from the marina in geo-textile tubes for construction of a breakwater;

• 100% recycling of wastewater with no ocean outfall.

The proposed staged development, 12 kilometres off the Central Queensland coast at Yeppoon, will start with a 250 room hotel at Fisherman's Beach with accompanying restaurants and conference facilities.

For more information go to www.gkiresort.com.au/home.html

3rd August 2012 - GREAT KEPPEL ISLAND PROPOSAL BOOSTS CONFIDENCE IN QUEENSLAND TOURISM