Mount Lofty House owners plan to build a $10m wilderness retreat at Cleland Wildlife Park
A $10m retreat is planned for Cleland Wildlife Park on Mount Lofty, allowing guests to stay in private villas while gazing into the bush or watching wildlife wander.
Adelaide Hills
Don't miss out on the headlines from Adelaide Hills. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A $10m wilderness retreat would be built at Cleland Wildlife Park as part of plans by the team behind Mount Lofty House.
The lodge, which is yet to receive planning approval, has secured $1m in state government funding through a program backing new eco-tourism ventures that attract more people to our parks.
The project, which the government has dubbed “world-class”, features 19 one-bedroom private villas designed to blend in with their natural surrounds, in an unused section of the park at Crafers.
It also includes a building accommodating retreat guests and park visitors, featuring a restaurant and space for weddings and conferences.
The accommodation will be built on land away from animal enclosures and the majority of its footprint is in vacant or underused land.
Mount Lofty Properties owner David Horbelt said the company’s new retreat would bring “a new level of international and interstate interest” to the Adelaide Hills.
About 65 staff would be employed at the site in ongoing roles and a further 85 people would work on the project during its construction phase.
The resort is the latest project to receive money through the state’s Nature-Based Tourism Co-Investment Fund. About $14m in projects have so far been allocated more than $3m collectively.
As part of funding agreements, project proponents must contribute a “conservation dividend” – money to support local conservation efforts.
Mount Lofty Properties will donate a portion of every guest’s stay to non-profit organisation Koala Life, which is based at the park and works towards conserving the species.
“The retreat will offer guests an unparalleled journey of discovery focused on the abundant nature in the region, including the conservation efforts at Cleland to preserve the future of the koala,” Mr Horbelt said.
“Our suites will be sustainably designed to sit light on the land in harmony with the natural landscape,” he said.
If development approval is granted, work is expected to begin next year and the retreat would open in 2023.
Environment Minister David Speirs said the government was investing record amounts to revitalise the state’s parks and create jobs.
“This project is a perfect example of how nature-based tourism can exist without affecting the natural environment visitors seek to experience,” he said.
The five-star Mount Lofty House, near the summit, has taken out various awards over recent years, including the Deluxe Hotel category at the Australian Hotels Association awards in 2019 and 2020.
The business also opened the six-star Sequoia Lodge on its grounds this year.
The tourism co-investment fund will be open until at least June 2022 or until the government’s $5m investment is exhausted.
michelle.etheridge@news.com.au
More Coverage
Adelaide councils come clean on shock $300+ bin rules
A western suburbs council has sent out more than 20 fines to locals who left their bins out too long. So what are the rules in your council area?
Confessions of a foodie influencer: ‘The food is often cold’
He doesn’t remember the last time he went grocery shopping because this project manager by day eats out every night – almost always for free.