Straddie hotel to close for months to undergo $10m controversial renovation

North Stradbroke Island’s popular Beach Hotel will close next week for a $10 million upgrade with designs including a beer garden and a shuttle bus zone. CHECK THE DESIGNS

The popular Straddie Beach Hotel overlooking Cylinder Beach will shut for months of renovations. Picture: Straddie Beach Hotel

The iconic Stradbroke Island Beach Hotel, perched above the picturesque Cylinder Beach at Point Lookout, will close its doors next week ahead of the Easter holidays as it undergoes a significant $10 million renovation.

The popular venue’s last day of trade before closing for an indefinite period, is slated for Saturday, March 29 with the original plans to reopen before summer.

Moreton Hospitality, which owns the venue, promises a revamped experience complete with a retractable roof, a new deck overlooking the Coral Sea, a proposed beer garden, a shuttle bus service, a VIP gaming lounge and an outdoor stage.

An artist’s impression of the new look hotel. Picture: Straddie Beach Hotel.

However, the redevelopment has sparked concerns within the local community, especially over the acquisition of public land in front and adjacent to the venue for a bus zone and beer garden.

The public land is an unused road reserve originally set aside as a buffer zone between the beach and the hotel under a 2002 Court of Appeal judgment.

In the 2002 finding, the court ruled against a large-scale expansion plan, citing concerns over “gross overdevelopment” with the hotel later rebuilding to a more modest design.

Critics argue that the acquisition of the public land would affect koala habitat, the sand dunes and trees and allow the hotel to bypass more stringent environmental scrutiny, as the expansion works have been classified as “code assessable”.

Along with the beer garden proposal, the request to acquire the public land is still subject to approval from the state government, which started a review in December.

Designs show off the new-look Straddie Hotel. Picture: Straddie Hotel

Moreton Hospitality chief executive Tony Hazell said the renovations were designed to complement the venue without impacting the existing public parking or road network adjacent to the hotel.

“The development approval is supported by a detailed independent arborist report,” Mr Hazell said.

“No significant trees are being removed as part of the refurbishment and additional landscaping will also form part of the works.

“All the necessary development approvals have been obtained (at this stage).

“We look forward to welcoming guests back to experience the exciting new offerings,” he said.

An aerial map showing the proposed area the hotel wants to acquire and use as a beer garden and bus zone. Picture: Contributed

Designed by KP Architects and executed by Aizer Building Solutions, the renovations will modernise the bar and bistro and include a retractable roof over the ground-level deck allowing its use in all weather.

An extended outdoor deck upstairs will be built to offer panoramic views of Cylinder Beach, with the ability to be transformed into a communal space when not in use for events.

Large LED screens will allow patrons to watch live sports broadcasts and will be used for twilight movie nights under the stars.

An outdoor stage will be dedicated to bands and feature an upgraded audiovisual system to support local talent.

The new-look venue will include an outdoor stage and a new deck. Picture: Straddie Beach Hotel

The hotel will also introduce a new courtesy bus service from Dunwich to improve accessibility.

While most of the hotel’s accommodation will be refurbished, the luxury apartments will remain open throughout the renovation process as will the hotel’s three bottle shops, including those at Dunwich and Point Lookout.

Nearby Point Lookout Bowls Club will be operating over the Easter holidays as will the adjacent Oasis Restaurant Mexican restaurant.