Moreton’s first eco-hotel pushes region closer to becoming a $40 billion engine room

A day spa, organic grocer, garden-to-table dining venues and home and garden centre will all be part of a five-storey hotel and wellness retreat just minutes from Brisbane. SEE THE PLANS

Moreton Bay’s first eco-lifestyle hotel, valued at $72 million and standing five storeys tall, has been approved for construction and is expected to be built by mid-2026.

The North Lakes Eco-Lifestyle Precinct will include 112 rooms, complete with a day spa, organic grocer, garden to table dining venues, regular recreational events and food trucks, a naturopathy and home and garden centre, aiming to create a premiere retail and tourism destination.

A boutique eco-hotel, the precinct will become an “oasis” for guests to relax and unwind, with indoor and outdoor spaces, natural lighting, breezeblock walls, a fire pit, outdoor yoga platform and plenty of greenery.

Maple Development Group will develop the Northlakes Eco Lifestyle Precinct, located at the corner of Anzac Ave and Diamond Jubilee Way, and the project will deliver more than 150 jobs to the region.

Maple Development Group’s Managing Director Nick Liu said they chose the Moreton Bay site because of the region’s surging tourism industry, lower operational and land costs, and proximity to Brisbane’s domestic and international airports and ports.

The North Lakes Eco-Lifestyle Precinct will stand five-storeys tall and provide a new tourism offering for Moreton Bay. Picture: Maple Development Group

“It is exciting to see this project become an inviting and welcoming precinct for locals and visitors as well as getting a balance between the lifestyle and economic growth in the region; and we really appreciate the effective communication support from Moreton Bay Council on our project”, Mr Liu said.

“We will now conduct a process to select the right international hotel brand to suit the location and our stunning property”.

The North Lakes Eco-Lifestyle Precinct will help support the growing demand for accommodation and surging tourism numbers in Moreton Bay. Picture: Maple Development Group

The 112-room hotel will help fill the demand for more accommodation in the region, to support growing tourism numbers as well as the influx of visitors the 2032 Olympic Games will bring to Moreton Bay.

The North Lakes Eco Lifestyle Precinct will aim to be environmentally sustainable with a farmer’s market, wildlife rehabilitation shelter facility, community food gardens, a drive-through compost and garden waste drop off point.

Mayor Peter Flannery said this high-end eco-friendly development will help to provide much needed accommodation for visitors in a tourism market that’s currently surging beyond expectation.

The North Lakes Eco-Lifestyle Precinct will include 112 rooms and feature a day spa, farmer’s market, home and garden centre and more eco offerings. Picture: DA Tracker/Moreton Bay

“We know Moreton Bay needs up to eight hotels and 1,035 hotel rooms by 2032, with four hotels needed by 2026, so this is an exciting start just five months after we put out the call for investors,” Mayor Flannery said.

“Moreton Bay is an opportunity not to be missed.

“We now see double the number of annual visitors that Noosa does, with 4.3 million visitors in 2021, and the fact is we don’t have enough accommodation to meet demand.

“We currently only have 204 full-service rooms which has been exposed by a growing number of major events, festivals and sporting events such as KiteFest, the NRLW Grand Final, Abbey Festival, Jetty-2-Jetty, Taste of Moreton Bay Food & Wine Festival, and many more.

“I applaud the team behind North Lakes Eco Lifestyle Precinct for being ahead of the pack, this investment marks another milestone on our goal to becoming Queensland’s $40 billion engine room.

“Developments like this will help push Moreton Bay closer to being among the top Queensland tourist destinations.”