Lindeman Island Resort owner lodges plans for 15,000sq m solar farm

The owner of Lindeman Island Resort has lodged plans that hint at its ambitions to follow through on a $583 million redevelopment.

Lindeman Island in the Whitsundays was brought by William Han, chairman of China-based White Horse Australia Holdings, in 2012.

The owner of Lindeman Island Resort has lodged plans that hint at its ambitions to follow through on a half-a-billion dollar redevelopment.

Chinese tycoon William Han, via White Horse, had received the Queensland Co-ordinator-General’s approval for a $583 million redevelopment of the decaying resort, and it was anticipated it would be finished and ready to welcome guests by 2022.

Construction on the redeveloped complex 13km southeast of Hamilton Island – which included a 5 star Beach resort, a 6 star Spa Resort, a 5 star Eco resort, and a 4 star Tourist Villa Precinct – was meant to have started in early 2019.

Plans detailed 169 villas, 136 suites, 20 apartments, restaurants, a nightclub, Greater Barrier Reef education centre, golf course and driving range, an airstrip servicing two flights a day from Whitsunday Airport, a wharf, shops, sports centre, and a conference and wedding centre.

But those ideas never eventuated, with the Mackay Regional Council particularly scathing about what it alleged was an empty promise.

One of the masterplan concepts for Lindeman Island.

There was a small glimmer of hope when the Juniper family entered into a contract to purchase the island in 2022, but this was ultimately terminated.

But in recent days Well Smart Investment Holding has submitted an application to the council to build a $2.25 million solar farm to wean the island off relying on diesel-generated power.

Lindeman Island Club Med resort, before the wrath of Cyclone Yasi and before it was left to fall into disrepair. Picture: File

Documents state the 15,000sq m farm with 4000 solar panels would power the existing resort “to provide an environmentally sensitive development”.

Locals have been waiting a long time for something to happen on Lindeman Island.

“In future the applicant proposes to expand the solar power, however this will be subject to future development applications,” it states.

White Horse bought the island resort for $12m in 2012 shortly after Cyclone Yasi’s damage, with resort operations on the island stemming back to the 1920s.

Lindeman Island in the Whitsundays was brought by William Han, chairman of China-based White Horse Australia Holdings, in 2012.

In late 2010, the Department of the Environment and Energy issued EPBC approval for the redevelopment plans.

“The approval has effect until 30 July 2058,” documents state.

“The site (Lindeman Island) also contains an existing Co-ordinator General’s Approval for the Environmental Impact Statement … valid until 26 March, 2024.

“The applicant intends on lodging a request for a further extension on this approval in the near future to enable the compliance with the conditions of approval.”

There had been calls to demolish Lindeman Island during the state parliamentary inquiry into the management of Queensland islands.

A former Queensland Parks and Wildlife ranger said the languishing resort was untenable and the Mackay Regional Council alleged White Horse was land banking, arguing the EIS’ extension to 2024 was a “slap … to the detriment of the Queensland tourism industry”.

The inquiry committee said it was awaiting with interest on Department of Resources’ audit of the Lindeman Island lease to determine whether White Horse was complying with lease conditions.

The state government in June said it supported taking immediate action to cancel tourism leases where lessees have shown noncompliance within the past three years “subject to the requirements of natural justice”.