Cape Hillsborough Nature Tourist Park applies for extra 40 cabins, campsites

Plans for dozens of new accommodation options at one of Queensland’s top destinations have been revealed ahead of a Mackay council vote which could be “catalytic for the region’s tourism industry”.

The owners of a popular Queensland tourist park, in an area described as an “iconic hero feature” of the Mackay region, have applied to upgrade their resort.

Cape Hillsborough Nature Tourist Park owners Ben and Renae Atherton submitted a proposal to Mackay Regional Council to build 12 more cabins and 30 more campsites, bringing their total accommodation up to 126 sites.

The tourist park is a drawcard for international tourists with a “Sunrise with the Wallabies” experience on Casuarina Beach within Cape Hillsborough National Park, about 48km north of Mackay.

Cape Hillsborough Nature Tourist park

Documents state the Athertons’ “future plans for the park will require 28 cabins in total”.

But the documents identified a discrepancy, with the 1987 approved plan for the park only specifying 10 cabins despite the Athertons buying the business in August, 2012 with 16 already-built cabins.

Cape Hillsborough Nature Tourist Park owners Renae Atherton and Ben Atherton enjoying the sunrise on the beach.

“The applicant believed that a development permit was in place approving all existing accommodation sites within the tourist park,” documents state, adding the Athertons hoped to “regularise the existing accommodation allegedly built by the site’s former owner.

The Athertons have also applied for a 100 per cent concession on infrastructure charges of $315,220.

The plan of Cape Hillsborough Nature Tourist Park in their development application to Mackay Regional Council. Photo: Contributed

Councillors are recommended to approve the concessions during the ordinary meeting of council on Wednesday on the conditions the developer uses only local contracts and supplies, and the council incurs no further costs.

“Concessions will facilitate future investment in the tourist park which has potential to be catalytic for the region’s tourism industry,” documents state.

Cape Hillsborough Nature Tourist Park is self-described as a “world-famous tourism destination, providing eco, adventure and water-based sport, recreation and leisure opportunities”.