Tawny frogmouth Dreaming kills off $100m Waterfront Hotel project
Views overlooking a sacred site were enough to kill off a $100m hotel project deal. Read the latest.
A Singapore hotel developer has torn up its $100m waterfront hotel project contract because of concerns the proposed building would overlook a tawny frogmouth’s sacred site.
Larrakia custodians of the land didn’t want hotel guests looking over the sacred site, although the hotel would be built off-site.
A compromise that would have made the hotel smaller, or removed windows from overlooking the site, fell through.
The NT News was notified on Tuesday afternoon by Robert Lee, the Adelaide-based representative of developer SHG Australia Hotel Pty Ltd (formerly CEL Darwin Hotel Pty Ltd), that it had pulled the pin on the proposed $100m development.
“Regret to advise that we have decided not to proceed with the development of the hotel at the Waterfront,” he said by SMS.
A statement released by SHG Australia late on Tuesday, expressed regret.
“The SingHaiyi Group, regrets to advise that it will not be moving forward with the proposed hotel development at the Darwin Waterfront,” the statement said.
“After receiving the Development Approval in July 2024, we were advised of a concern relating to the development. To address the concern, we explored various changes to the development but was unable to come to a result that would make the development feasible.
“We extend our sincere appreciation to the Northern Territory Government for their support, collaboration, and guidance throughout the process, and we remain grateful for the constructive partnership we have shared.”
The Singaporean hotel chain announced in May 2024 it wanted to build, own and operate a 10-storey, 236-room hotel near Darwin Convention Centre.
It was to be operated by SHG’s Momentus Hotel brand and was widely sought-after by the Territory’s tourism sector.
But the NT News flagged in January the hotel was threatened by the developer’s inability to secure an authority certificate that would have okayed the project from the land’s Larrakia custodians.
To develop on or near an Aboriginal Sacred Site in the Northern Territory, an Authority Certificate must first be approved by the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority.
According to Larrakia Dreaming, a small hill adjacent to the site is home to the tawny frogmouth which, Larrakia people say guards the entrance to Stokes Hill Wharf.
On Monday afternoon, the Northern Land Council issued a media release appealing to the Commonwealth to block the project.
Larrakia elders Bill Risk and Helen Secretary said they had lodged an application to stop the project under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Heritage Protection Act 1984.
Despite the hotel being built up to 100 metres from the site, they appealed to Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt “to safeguard the Stokes Hill sacred site against damage and desecration”.
“According to Larrakia Dreaming, the tawny frogmouth is a sentinel that guards the entrance to Stokes Hill Wharf – surveying the land and sea, keeping country and people safe,” the Secretary-Risk media release said.
“The application follows on from the Northern Territory’s decision in September this year to add developers to an existing 20-year-old Waterfront authority sacred sites certificate.”
Earlier this year the NT Government amended the Sacred Sites Act to allow new parties to be added to existing Authority Certificates.
An Authority certificate was never issued for the proposed Waterfront Hotel.
SH Darwin lodged its application for a sacred site approval in August 2024.
Speaking in January, Mr Lee remained optimistic the project would receive sacred site approvals.
““We lodged the application in August and we’re waiting for approvals now,” Mr Lee said.
“We’re not concerned. We’ve done as normal and now we’re waiting for certificates to be approved.
“We were expecting it before Christmas and it didn’t happen, but we are still very keen to build the hotel, and we’re standing by.”
He said AAPA approval would trigger the completion of design and construction drawings, prior to construction commencing later this year.
“We currently have the design drawings and once approved we will commence the design and construction drawings,” he said.
“If they say ‘no’ we would have to consider the reasons why TOs said no. We are new to Darwin and respect the Larrakia people and culture.
“If they do say ‘no’ and there are no solutions we will seriously have to consider the future of the project. We do have to respect the locals and we don’t want to upset anybody. We’re not here to make people upset, we’re here to do a project.”
Treasurer Bill Yan expressed the NT Government’s disappointment, but promised to plough on with a revised development.
“It is disappointing that stakeholders who originally supported this project changed their mind and advocated against it,” he said.
“As a community, we need a balanced outcome that is sensitive to cultural concerns but also does not halt economic development and prosperity that would benefit all Territorians.
“The CLP Government promised to rebuild the economy and the site adjacent to the Darwin Convention Centre remains a prime opportunity in one of Darwin’s most strategic waterfront locations.
“We are working to develop a high-level concept which can still offer immense potential to enhance convention centre activity, drive visitation to the Larrakia Cultural Centre, which is set to open in 2026, and generate substantial economic benefits for the broader Darwin region.”
He urged interested parties to contact commercial.dtf@nt.gov.au
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