Keppel Beach Club at Great Keppel Island abandoned weeks after opening

It drew controversy from the moment it opened a month ago, now there’s speculation that a bar on one of Queensland’s most well-known islands has closed for good after complaints about noise and public urination.

Aerial shot of the Keppel Beach Club in relation to the Great Keppel Island Resort.

Uncertainty hangs over a new beachfront bar on Great Keppel Island which appears abandoned after just a month in operation amid complaints from locals.

Keppel Beach Club had caused quite the stir with locals when it opened, with loud music late at night and no on-site toilets, meaning guests had to use the nearby public facilities that were constantly locked due to operating hours and cleaning issues.

There are claims guests were publicly urinating near the bar and putting more pressure on privately-owned amenities on the island.

Keppel Beach Club opened the week before Christmas at the former watersports hut on Fisherman’s Beach, funded by Tower Holdings, the owners of the closed Great Keppel Island Resort.

The business promoted itself on social media as “food, bev (beverages), lounges, watersports and beach volleyball”.

Keppel Beach Club's Instagram page.

This publication has been investigating the business for weeks now after sources raised questions around its liquor licensing and amenity requirements.

The Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation confirmed on January 12 the Keppel Beach Club was operating under a commercial hotel licence within the licensed area for the Great Keppel Island Resort.

“While the resort has not been operating for a number of years, the liquor licence for part of the premises was recently activated following an inspection by OLGR,” an Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation spokesman said.

Aerial shot of the Keppel Beach Club in relation to the Great Keppel Island Resort.

The bar also had no on-site toilets or amenities and customers were using the nearby Livingstone Shire Council public amenities block.

It has been reported the toilets were previously emptied once a week and the council had to increase this to every two days.

Under Guideline 26 of the Liquor Act 1992 – Section 107, “at commercial hotels and nightclubs, toilets must be located within the licensed premises in the case of existing premises, if the toilets are not within the premises, they must be immediately adjacent to the licensed premises and protected from the elements”.

The Act further states if access to the toilets is external to the building, the route should be covered overhead and adequately lit for the safety of patrons.

It was reported to this publication the public amenities block was locked on New Year’s Eve and customers were allegedly urinating off the deck.

“You must ensure that patrons have access to toilets during all times that the premises is selling or supplying alcohol,” the Act states.

Office of Liquor and Gaming responded that toilets were not required at the shed.

“The shed itself is not required to have toilet facilities in the current circumstances, however OLGR is aware that there are public amenities in close proximity,” they said.

The hut itself was not fitted out with running water and reportedly had repeated problems of running out of water.

On Boxing Day, a food van that was barged over to the island for the business accidentally caught on fire and gas bottles exploded.

The burnt down food van at Keppel Beach Club on Boxing Day.

A food preparation area was set up at the back with barbecues on trestle tables.

Livingstone Shire Council advised a council building certifier “visited the parts of the structure that required replacing and these have since been rectified like for like”.

“No other work in this regard triggers certification or development application,” the spokesman said.

“A temporary food licence has been issued by Livingstone Shire Council, and all requirements to supply staff amenities have been complied with.

“Council has no power to enforce any provisions of a liquor licence or the provisions of the Permit to Occupy conditions.”

Tower Holdings bought the iconic resort for $16.5 million in 2006 and closed it down in 2008.

A $600 million resort development was approved by the Queensland Coordinator-General in March 2013 for a 250-room hotel, 750 eco-tourism villas, 300 eco-tourism apartments, 250-berth marina, ferry terminal, yacht club, retail village, 18-hole golf course and environmental park.

At the time it was projected to create hundreds of construction jobs over a 12-year construction period and more than 1,000 permanent jobs once operational.

On April 9, 2021, the Australian Government approved a new approval expiry date of April 11, 2049, with 30 pages of conditions.

Work has occurred on and off at the resort over the years, including hefty demolition work in 2018.

With buildings left exposed to the elements and high wild goat population, the resort has become dilapidated and destroyed over time.

The Keppel Beach Club appears to be abandoned.

The bar however has been deserted since last Monday (January 23), amid rumours it has been closed down.

All of the decor and furnishing remains on site.

Keppel Beach Club’s last social media post was on January 22.

The Office of Liquor and Gaming stated the liquor licence remained to be active and couldn’t comment if it was closed.

The Department of Resources advised it was not involved.

Tower Holdings have been contacted for comment.