Lilydale hotel development plan includes gin distillery, lavender farm on Maroondah Hwy
A lavender farm and gin distillery are part of a huge hotel complex that could be coming to the Yarra Valley’s gateway. Here’s all the details behind the ambitious proposal, which also includes a mirrored maze and amphitheatre.
Outer East
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Plans for a $65 million five-star hotel, gin distillery and lavender farm in Lilydale have been released to the public.
The ambitious proposal for the 4.69ha site, which InterContinental Hotels Group will manage if it’s given the green light, includes a subdivision of properties at 483-489 Maroondah Highway and 169 Nelson Rd in Lilydale, and is now open online for community consultation.
The plans have yet to be scheduled for a Yarra Valley Council meeting and residents have until that unknown future date to make submissions.
The proposal includes a 170-room hotel, an on-site gin distillery, a lavender farm, mirrored maze, an amphitheatre carved out of the ground and a provedore that serves and sells Yarra Valley produce.
It will also feature large conference and meeting rooms, a gym, bars, a restaurant and children’s entertainment area.
InterContinental Hotels Group announced plans for ‘voco Yarra Valley’ in 2018 as Yarra Valley’s first globally-branded, upscale hotel.
Yarra Ranges Tourism chief executive Simon O’Callaghan previously told the Leader the site of the proposed development had been touted over many years for a range of tourism developments.
“A positive outcome on that site will be a positive thing for the region,” Mr O’Callaghan said.
Yarra Ranges councillor Tim Heenan said with the coronavirus stripping the region of its visitors, two important things for the Yarra Valley at this time were jobs and tourists.
Cr Heenan said there was also a need for affordable accommodation in the area.
“Jobs and accommodation to get the tourists back to the Yarra Valley are paramount,” he said.
“If we can make more jobs in Lilydale, that would be great.”
Cr Heenan said he wanted to make sure there was a good outcome for the community and expected to be talking with locals about the impact on the community.
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Cr Terry Avery agreed there was a major shortage of middle-priced accommodation in the area.
“This could be ideal for anyone going to Rochford and we certainly need to have more intermediate accommodation in this tourist precinct,” Cr Avery said.
“In essence this proposed development sound great but we need to understand the nuts and bolts of it.”