Eco resort earmarked for iconic Whitsunday island

The resort would be split into four precincts with camping, glamping and luxury options.

An application to develop an eco resort on Hook Island would house 280 people across four precincts. Picture: Supplied

THE second largest island in the Whitsundays could soon be home to a new eco resort with four precincts set to cater for campers, glampers and more luxurious stays.

A development application for a resort on Hook Island was submitted to the Whitsunday Regional Council in mid-November.

Hook Island was hit by cyclones in 2011 and 2017, causing damage to pre-existing resort facilities that have sat abandoned in the years since.

The proposed development will capitalise on some of the existing facilities with a lot of the resort set to be built in areas that have already been cleared.

Developers hoped the resort would appeal to "the desire for nature-based, sustainable and eco experiences".

According to the application, "the development is in stark contrast to the highly developed, integrated resorts on many of the Whitsunday islands".

The resort will be built on the southern part of Hook Island. Picture: Supplied

The eco resort would span 9.31ha on the southern part of the island and at capacity, would accommodate 280 people.

This includes day visitors, overnight stays and staff.

When fully developed, there will be three arrival areas with pedestrian footpaths to allow movement around the island.

There will be five different accommodation styles including camping, glamping, cabins, lodges and villas.

Campers will share amenities while glampers will sleep on a temporary structure that sits on a raised platform.

The cabins will be permanent structures with shared facilities while the lodge accommodation will be self-contained with shared rooms.

The villas will be similar to a house and fully self-contained.

There will be five different accommodation styles including camping, glamping, cabins, lodges and villas. Picture: Supplied

The resort would be developed in four distinct precincts: Stingray Bay, Treetops, Main Beach and Headland.

Stingray Bay will be available for people camping, glamping and staying in cabins and will also include staff accommodation, a storage shed and a shared amenities block.

Treetops is reserved for people glamping and staying in the cabins, lodges and villas.

The Main Beach will be home to a shared recreation hub, amenities building and pool.

In the future, any commercial operations such as a cafe, bar, food and drink outlet or reception office will be built in this precinct.

The Headland area is set to be used for those staying in glamping tents, cabins, lodges and villas and will also include a recreation pavilion.

A new jetty will also be built off the Headland precinct.

The resort will be split into four precincts: Stingray Bay, Treetops, Main Beach and Headland. Picture: Supplied

The Hook Island Eco Resort will be built in stages as interest and demand grows with development in the Stingray Bay and Main Beach precincts set to start first.

The island does not have any reticulated potable water services available so the proposed development will harvest and store rainwater as the primary source for potable and greywater use.

Most of the proposed development will use self-contained waterless composting toilets.

Waste will be transported off the island by a contractor while organic waste will be composted onsite.

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Visitors will be expected to provide their own food and drink if it is not provided by a tour operator and all meals will be prepared by guests.

There will be a range of leisure activities available including swimming, snorkelling, kayaking and stand up paddle boarding.

Hook Island Eco Resort Pty Ltd lodged the development application with help from Tract Consultants. 

The development will be put on public notification so residents can have their say on the plans.

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