Fishing Comp. to open Groote Eylandt Sportfishing Lodge

Last year PWF wrote about the new Dugong Beach Resort being built on Groote Eylandt. The resort and nearby Escape Sportfishing Lodge, will open up the spectacular scenery and fishing in this part of the Gulf.

Who is behind the venture?

• the traditional owners – Groote Eylandt Bickerton Island Enterprises (GEBIE) the business arm of the Anandilyakwa Land Council;
• John Robinson – a hotel developer, originally from NSW, with a string of ‘accommodation success stories’ from Katherine to Darwin;
• Andrew Ettinghausen – of Escape With ET – will run the Sportfishing Lodge;
• 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 Groote Eylandt Mining Company (GEMCO) will ensure any visitors and extra workers coming to its Groote Eylandt operation will stay at the eco-resort instead of using miners’ accommodation.

The Holiday Experience

As well as remote sport 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. Cultural Tours are being developed with the Traditional Owners and will be available to guests visiting the Lodge to combine with their Sportfishing Package.

FYI Permits to Groote will be an integral part of any hotel reservation and up to thirty positions will be created for the local Aboriginal population.

The Sportfishing Lodge

This will offer 3 to 7 day sportfishing packages with professional guides, available April to January. The 7 and 8 metre fishing boats – with all mod cons – will be moored right in front of the Lodge on a private jetty.

The Tournament

The Groote Eylandt Game & Sport Fishing Club is holding its 21st annual billfish tournament as a ‘kickoff. Competitors can fish for any 3 consecutive days during from 3 – 11 November and guests of Escape Sportfishing Lodge can participate in this event with experienced guides as part of their sportfishing holiday. Competition details will be available soon.

The Fishing

These virtually untouched waters around Groote Eylandt offer endless fishing opportunities. You can:

• Jig for reef dwellers such as red emperor, mangrove jack, golden snapper, coral trout, or black jewfish.
• Have a go at ‘popper’ fishing for giant trevally, mackerel, coral trout, queenfish and world record barracuda.
• Fish creeks, rivers and estuaries where you can cast and troll lures around sand flats, rock bars and rocky outcrops for barramundi.

“If this is not enough to whet your appetite, make the challenge even tougher and target all of the above species and more on fly tackle”, says the advertising blurb!