Shute Harbour Lions Lookout receives $82K upgrade

The lookout upgrades are part of an ongoing beautification process to impress Whitsunday residents, tourists and cruise ship visitors. Find out when they’ll be completed.

Design plans for the new Shute Harbour Lions Lookout. Picture: Whitsunday Regional Council

A Whitsundays region lookout described as a “waste (of) time” will soon receive an $82,000 upgrade including new shelters, picnic settings and a drinking fountain.

It comes after a tourist going by the nickname of ‘Samindae’ blasted the Lions Lookout at Shute Harbour on TripAdvisor.

“The drive to the ‘lookout’ is great and there are some places to stop down lower for a picture but there is no such thing as a ‘lookout’ and I wouldn’t waste your time going to check it out,” Samindae posted in September.

"It had been a long time since I visited Shute Harbour, and it was once the hub of boating to the Whitsundays," CodyMav posted to TripAdvisor about the Shute Harbour Lions Lookout on August 17, 2020. “Instead, this lookout just showed its all under construction, so hopefully for the better in years to come." Picture: CodyMav/TripAdvisor

The Whitsunday Regional Council is expected to begin upgrade works on November 14 as part of its ongoing beautification of Shute Harbour and marketing of the “Our Whitsundays” brand.

It includes removing two old shelters and building a new 5m x 5m shelter, two picnic settings, expanding the footpaths and installing a drinking fountain.

Design plans for the new Shute Harbour Lions Lookout. Picture: Whitsunday Regional Council

It is hoped the revamp – thanks to funding from the state government’s Works for Queensland Grant Program – will boost the lookout’s appeal to Whitsunday residents, tourists and cruise ship visitors.

The works are expected to be completed by mid-December, with the council anticipating further upgrades down the track such as irrigated landscaping, fencing and an improved bus stop area.