Taronga Zoo’s eco resort slammed as ‘indulgent’ after cost blowout
IT promises “unprecedented close-up encounters with Australian animals’ but Taronga Zoo’s planned Wildlife Retreat is so over budget, it’d be cheaper to build a 192-room hotel.
NSW
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A CONTROVERSIAL “eco retreat” under construction at Taronga Zoo has been labelled “indulgent” after its $40 million budget blew out by another $7 million.
Approved by the state government in April last year despite opposition from Mosman Council, the 62-room luxury accommodation is set to be completed in March next year.
However, the state opposition has slammed the project now that its total cost rivals that of the 192-room Rydges hotel to be developed at Gold Coast Airport or a 16-storey apartment complex in Sussex St, Sydney.
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Labor WasteWatch spokesman Hugh McDermott, who revealed the budget blowout, described the resort as “indulgent”.
“It’s hard to imagine that the intention of Taronga reserves is to fund an indulgence like this — most people would rather it be invested in improving conditions for the animals,” he said.
Unveiled three years ago, the Taronga Wildlife Retreat was billed as meeting a demand from zoo visitors for an overnight conservation experience amid a native wildlife sanctuary.
“During a 24-hour stay, visitors will experience unprecedented close-up encounters with Australian animals,” the brochure boasted.
“At dusk, animals like potoroos, echidnas and bettong will emerge from their nests and surround guests for their nightly feed.
"Visitors will also be able to put on gum boots and wade through a creek, using tongs to feed long-finned eels.”
The local council had argued a retreat at the zoo was an inappropriate use of public land.
As for the cost of staying at the retreat, the zoo has yet to confirm room rates but, with its “Roar and Snore” sleepover in a tent costing as much as $395 per person, per night, it is not expected to be cheap.
A Zoo spokeswoman said variation in project cost was a result of the original budget for the retreat being set in 2014.
“Due to planning requirements and the DA process we were unable to go to tender until mid-2017,” she said.
“During that period construction costs in Sydney significantly escalated and in order to realise the facility as envisaged in the approved business case we needed to increase the capital budget.
“We expect no further escalation of costs and anticipate completing the project within the capital budget.”
The spokeswoman said the increase had been funded through “Taronga reserves” with the loan for the retreat secured through the NSW public sector financial markets partner TCorp remaining at $38.5 million.
No government grants or Taronga Foundation contributions had been used to fund this project, she said.