Palm Cove business leader warns Benny Wu to repair derelict Double Island
A Palm Cove business leader has told a government inquiry work should already have started on repairing dilapidated Double Island to meet a deadline. What needs to be done.
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WORK to bring derelict Double Island up to scratch in time to meet a state government imposed deadline of March 2023 should already have started, according to Tropical Palm Cove chair Tony Richards.
Mr Richards outlined his worry at an inquiry into the economic and regulatory frameworks for Queensland’s island resorts, with a hearing held in Cairns this week.
He said the breaches in the terms of the lease owned by Hong Kong-based Benny Wu were serious.
“The lessee should be either required to perform to all the lease terms and conditions, sell their interest in the lease, or forfeit their lease to the state for sale,” Mr Richards said.
Mr Wu’s Fortune Island Holdings company has the lease to 2099.
Mr Richards pointed out the lessee was required to manage vegetation, maintain all improvements in good repair, and provide a mooring and amenities for the general public to visit the island.
He said the site was in no condition to provide any sort of facility, waste was accumulating, there was significant erosion, the mooring was unused and there was no working effluent system for public amenities.
“With that state of play, engineering projects need to start now,” Mr Richards said.
“There is nothing on the island that is functional – you’d need to start the project now to get it done in time and no operational works plans have been issued.”
He said the state of Double Island was holding up other potential developments at Palm Cove.
“It is a gem, it has got extraordinary potential, it is a tourism lease, the government leased it for tourism, and it hasn’t performed,” Mr Richards said.
The Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators (AMPTO) said abandoned resorts resulted in environmental damage and impacted the reputation and image of the Great Barrier Reef.
The Department of Resources has given Mr Wu until March 31 next year to fix public day-use facilities and be actively operating as a resort.
He bought the island for about $8m in 2012 and records show the business name Double Island Retreat was registered in 2013 – but that was as far as the idea went.
Mr Wu proposed grand plans for a winery be bought at Mareeba and plans to redevelop the jaded 150-room Acacia Court Hotel on the Esplanade to a retirement facility – but nothing has eventuated.
He bought historic Whitfield House $3.25m in 2013 and outlaid $5.29m for a showy trophy home at 21-22 Knott Court, Whitfield, in 2020.
Mr Wu’s registered Australian office is Best Beach Resort at Acacia Court.
He told the Cairns Post in 2016 he had spent $3m on the resort and it would be open by Christmas.
Representatives of Mr Wu were contacted for comment.
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Originally published as Palm Cove business leader warns Benny Wu to repair derelict Double Island
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