Hilton Cairns, Silky Oaks Lodge, Lizard Island: Best resorts and islands offer new experiences and jobs
A five-star Cairns City hotel is hiring staff and renovating with a new bar opening its doors in an exciting revolution taking place in the Far North’s luxury resort market. WHAT’S HAPPENING
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A NEW signature restaurant and bar, a turbocharged employment and training drive and renovations at a five-star Cairns City hotel is leading a charge of Far Northern resorts in a major post-Covid tourism reset.
The Hilton is testament to an industry rebounding strongly from Covid.
General manager Scott Wilson said 2022 was set to be a big year of growth for the business.
“Over the past 12 months Hilton Cairns has not only hired over 40 new staff, but has also undertaken 16 internships with young locals, as well as 22 work experience placements from local high schools and hospitality courses,” he said.
The Hilton’s outlets such as Mondo on the Waterfront and Gin Social are performing well, with the company launching a new signature restaurant and bar, Edge Bar, on Friday night.
“It will be located on our undercover terrace,” Mr Wilson said.
The bar will be open from 4.30pm to 9pm on Friday’s and 4pm to 9pm on Saturday’s, with a live DJ on the decks.
Mondo is also set for a full renovation later this year, and a refurbishment of the Hilton’s hotel rooms was almost complete.
The recent $25m sale of Dunk Island to Annie Cannon-Brookes, the rich lister wife of Australian billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes, has put Far North resorts and their heavy hitting owners and managers firmly in the spotlight.
They employ thousands of residents and favour local suppliers with produce coming from the likes of Edge Hill Butchery, Preston’s Seafoods and boutique suppliers in high demand.
Undoubtedly the crown jewel of the tropical north’s luxury destinations is Lizard Island, and while the island itself was snapped up by Andrew Forrest for $42m last November, the resort is separately owned by New York based hospitality company Delaware North.
In June, Lizard Island launched Australia’s most expensive holiday digs – for just $28,000 a night, guests can enjoy The House at Lizard Island.
Resort general manager Leon Pink said there were 106 staff on the island and local partnerships were key.
The resort relies on East Air for flight transfers, Dragon Tours for airport transfers, and Seaswift for barge operations.
It sources food from Preston Fresh, Edge Hill Butcheries, Simon and George and Bidfood, and serves Hemingway’s Lizard Lager and Wolf Lane’s Lizard Island tropical gin.
“Being a remote operation, our strong relationships with tropical north businesses are crucial for the success of the resort,” Mr Pink said.
A million-dollar makeover is almost complete at another major resort player, Fitzroy Island Resort, just a 45-minute boat ride from Cairns.
It is owned by Doug Gamble, his daughter Tanya, and Tanya’s son, Jason Foy.
Then there is Green Island, owned by the Quicksilver Group, a leading Barrier Reef cruise company.
On the mainland, a whole new standard of luxury came with the launch in January of Silky Oaks Lodge near Mossman, after a $20m revamp by owners James and Hayley Baillie, who own a string of luxury lodges across the nation.
A total of 77 people are employed at Silky Oaks, which has 40 lodges of varying degrees of opulence, with the Daintree Pavilion commanding $5000 per night.
The Baillies strongly support local businesses, using producers including the Australian Dairy Biodynamic Buffalo Company, Bellasato Organic Chicken, Cairns Exotic Mushrooms, Mungalli Dairy, Wondaree Macadamias, Wolf Lane Distillery, Edge Hill Butchery, Skybury coffee and Charleys Chocolate.
A low-key and well-established mainstay of the luxury scene is Thala Beach Nature Reserve, developed and owned by the Prettejohn family.
Rob Prettejohn developed Kewarra Beach Resort before focusing on Thala, located at the stunning Oak Beach south of Port Douglas.
Director Seton Prettejohn said local ownership – the family developed the resort in 1998 – was a big point of difference.
Thala has more than 60 staff.
“We go to great lengths to choose local suppliers where possible – everything from local farmers, distilleries and breweries for our restaurant right through to local tradespersons, equipment suppliers, florists, consultants, photographers, uniform suppliers and subcontractors,” he said.
“We want our guests to have a connection to the local area by sharing local knowledge and advice.”
The biggest hotel operator in the Far North is global company Accor, which has more than 5300 hospitality assets in 110 countries.
It owns 20 properties including Pullman Cairns International, Pullman Reef Hotel, Mantra Amphora Palm Cove, Pullman Palm Cove Sea Temple Resort and Spa, The Reef House Palm Cove, Peppers Beach Club and Spa Palm Cove.
In Port Douglas, it has five Mantra hotels, as well as Peppers Beach Club Port Douglas, Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort and Spa.
In all, 1100 people are employed.
It sources produce from Wolf Lane, Mt Uncle, Devils Thumb, Baked On Red Hill, Byrnes Butchery, Scoo Brew Kombucha, Preston Fresh, Mungalli Creek, Barrier Reef Brewing Co, Hemingway’s Brewery, Daintree Estate Chocolate and Teas, Coffee Works, and Indigenous artwork procured through local galleries Northsite, Umi Arts and Cairns Art Gallery.
Arguably the most well-known and coveted resort in Port Douglas, the Sheraton Mirage Resort Port Douglas, is owned by Chinese giant Fullshare Group.
The company, led by executive director, CEO and chairman Ji Changqun and directors Du Wei, Shen Chen and Ge Jinzhu, has invested heavily in the luxury holiday mecca with the stunning and vast lagoon pools right next to the golden sands of Four Mile Beach.
Meanwhile further south there is the famous Dunk Island, destroyed by cyclone Yasi in early 2011 and later acquired by Peter Bond, the founder of Linc Energy, for about $7.5m with plans to repair and reopen the resort.
The island, about 4km off Mission Beach, was sold in 2020 for about $31m to interests associated with James Mawhinney, but his Mayfair 101 group ran into regulatory trouble and financial advisory firm Grant Thornton was called in as liquidator.
The island is one of only a few freehold islands on the entire Great Barrier Reef and offers significant potential to develop into a major tourism destination.
Previously owned by Qantas and international cruise line company P&O, the former Dunk Island Resort operated as a 4.5-star family resort with 160 guest rooms, a nine-hole golf
course, multiple food and beverage outlets, tennis courts and a day spa.
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Originally published as Hilton Cairns, Silky Oaks Lodge, Lizard Island: Best resorts and islands offer new experiences and jobs
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