Hook Island Eco Resort developers to recycle construction materials following major cyclone clean-up

Developers believe they are on to a winner with plans for a unique new resort incorporating recycled materials on a cyclone-ravaged Whitsunday island.

Developers behind the proposed Hook Island eco resort are confident their unique project will not only be environmentally sustainable but financially successful too, despite the challenges to international tourism brought about by Covid-19.

Hook Island Eco Resort director Glenn Dickson took on the island’s abandoned former resort after it was destroyed by cyclones in 2011 and 2017, subsequently working with the state government to undertake a major clean-up transformation, as part of the $25 million Great Barrier Reef Island Resorts Rejuvenation Program.

With co-funding from the GBR Island Resorts Rejuvenation Fund, the new owners fast-tracked the demolition of 10 buildings, the removal of tonnes of asbestos, metal and concrete, in addition to the removal of extensive fuels and oils, car bodies, skip bins, and plastic containers.

Partnering with the Great Barrier Reef Island Resorts Rejuvenation Program, the developers behind the Hook Island Eco Resort demolished 10 buildings, and removed tonnes of asbestos, metaland concrete to make way for new facilities. Picture: Supplied

With unanimous approval from the Whitsunday Regional Council, plans for a new nature-based eco friendly resort on the island are full steam ahead, with the developers planning to recycle 250 tonnes of concrete and woodchip for the construction of paths and roadways in the resort development.

The vision of the approved master plan is for a nature-based, eco-friendly resort, focusing on low-impact, low-emission, sustainable accommodation targeted toward the environmentally conscious visitor.

Once fully developed, the eco resort will accommodate up to 280 people per day, including overnight guests, day visitors and staff in glamping-style tents and permanent structures.

The design is split into five precincts, all of which “respect varying environmental conditions and views,” the developers say.

The emphasis will be on “creating an environmentally conscious experience and leveraging surrounding infrastructure”.

Hook Island Eco Resort Development Director Stephen Wolf of Bauenort Management said the island was “perfectly positioned for visitors wishing to experience the Whitsundays and immerse themselves in the natural beauty of the region”.

Mr Wolf said partnering with the state government, and working collaboratively with all regulatory authorities and stakeholders, had allowed developers to fast-track their plans and “take a step closer to achieving [their] vision”.

The developers plan to finalise their operational model with operators and partners over the next six to 12 months.

“Our vision of creating an internationally unforgettable and accessible eco-tourism destination where visitors are immersed in natural wildlife and culture is getting ever closer,” Mr Wolf said.