New fishing & ‘eco-resort’ at Groote Eylandt
Jobs – NSW
August 17, 2006Communities & the Wind Energy Industry
August 19, 2006The business prospects look good for a ‘well-kept secret’
The Gulf of Carpentaria Anindilyakwa Land Council has announced that Groote Eylandt will have a new multi-million dollar eco-resort. NT Chief Minister has just ‘turned the first sod’ and construction is expected to be completed in July 2007.
The NT Government will contribute around $70 000 to the development which will go towards a mix of promotional activity and assistance in business and product development.
The four-star Dugong Bay complex is being modelled on the one year old but already expanding Darwin Airport Resort – a Top End tourism success from NT businessman, John ‘Foxy’ Robinson, a hotel developer originally from NSW with a string of ‘accommodation success stories’ from Katherine to Darwin.
The Dugong Beach Resort is being built near Groote Eylandt’s main town Alyangula and will sleep up to 150 people. It will be built and operated by Groote Eylandt Bickerton Island Enterprises (GEBIE) the business arm of the Anandilyakwa Land Council, in association with John Robinson.
The Land Council says it is working on a deal with Groote Eylandt Mining Company (GEMCO) to ensure any visitors and extra workers coming to its Groote Eylandt operation will have to stay at the eco-resort instead of using miners’ accommodation.
Up till now it has only been the mine workers at the island’s manganese GEMCO project and traditional owners who knew of the spectacular scenery, beaches and legendary fishing!
And the national fishing identity is?
Negotiations are well underway with a ‘national sporting identity‘ who has his own national fishing show now syndicated in the US and Canada, to contract the fishing camp and employ professional fishing guides. The fishing camp will feature luxury air-conditioned tents with ensuites.
Resort activities
As well as fishing tours, the John Berryman designed resort will feature a restaurant and bar, cultural and art centre, and tours of the island’s cave and rock paintings. Permits to Groote will be an integral part of any hotel reservation. Up to thirty positions will be created for the local Aboriginal population.
Given the Gulf scenery, the fishing, the cultural experiences and the business ‘nous’ here – the business future has to be rosy doesn’t it?
4 Comments
The national fishing identity isn’t Rex Hunt. It’s Andrew Ettinghausen.
Thank you for the info Ben!
Re-Rex and E.T. Hey Ben, E.T. is a name and a sponsor. Rex is a bogan ex-copper, ex-footballer and can catch a fish while he is talking, looking the wrong way, using the wrong gear, and scratching his head. RH has prob caught more fish than ET has had feeds mmmmm? BUT they would both…and me catch a swag of fish based at this new ‘eco resort’
This resort is not the answer to income for the locals after the mine has finished operations in 25 – 50 years time, It is a last frontier because there is no tourism on the Eylandt. No doubt Picnic beach and other increible places will shut down or fees be put in place once tourists come to the Eyland. Locals who live in town and in the missions will not have the same freedom once enjoyed as a chance to escape the doom and gloom of the mine site and the isolation of the Eylandt. THE RESORT WILL BE A CASH COW OUT OF MILK!