Developer Tim Gurner lodges plans for luxury hotel with underwater suites in Port Douglas

Fresh off the back of his ‘deeply insensitive’ comments about Australia’s workforce, controversial Melbourne developer Tim Gurner has lodged plans to create a ‘private ocean’ hotel in Port Douglas.

Melbourne developer Tim Gurner has plans to build an underwater hotel in Port Douglas.

Property developer Tim Gurner has lodged plans to deliver Australia’s first mainland underwater hotel rooms as part of an ultra-luxury wellness resort proposed in the heart of Port Douglas.

The $250m five-star project will include six hotel rooms with views of the heritage-listed waters of the Great Barrier Reef, alongside facilities inspired by the beach clubs of the Greek Islands and Saint Tropez.

The gated residence is being branded as a “sensory wellness resort” and will feature 118 resort rooms, including the six underwater suites, 59 lagoon-facing rooms overlooking the central ­lagoon called “the ocean” and 46 fronting tropical gardens.

Around the centrepiece lagoon will be high-end hospitality, bars, restaurants and a relaxation offering, while an island in the middle can be booked for events.

The design also includes 44 custom-designed three- or four-bedroom wellness luxury homes with open-plan living, a mineral pool and private parking.

Around the centrepiece lagoon will be high-end hospitality, bars, restaurants and a relaxation offering, while an island in the middle can be booked for events.

The lodgement of the plans follows Mr Gurner’s apology for “deeply insensitive” comments which called for “pain in the economy” and unemployment to rise “40 to 50 per cent” to “remind people that they work for the employer, not the other way around.”

Given the surf around Port Douglas cannot be enjoyed for part of the year, Gurner Group general manager of Design, Alex Fin, said he wanted to create an area akin to a “private ocean” that guests can enjoy year-round.

“We are passionate about protecting the character of Port Douglas and therefore have envisaged this site as a low-rise eco retreat; a place that is respectful of its surroundings and at one with nature,” Mr Fin said.

“We are planning to bring our signature luxury wellness services and dining offerings to the retreat’s residents and guests while ensuring the architecture is completely in keeping with the natural landscape, optimised for environmental efficiency and of course, carbon neutral.”

Melbourne-based developer Gurner is forging ahead with it plan to diversity into the wellness space, lodging plans for a luxury hotel in Port Douglas.

If approved, it will be the Melbourne-based developer’s second project in the holiday town, after an enclave of four luxury homes, ranging from $2.5m to $10m, was approved last year.

Mr Gurner bought the three adjoining sites for the hotel backing the Sheraton Mirage last year for $18m, snapping up a caravan park and backpacker resort to create the nearly 26,000sq m block.

Originally submitted as a serviced apartment and private residence retreat, the developer reimagined the project to offer five-star accommodation in the Far North Queensland holiday town in collaboration with the local council to meet the requirements of the Port Douglas Daintree Destination Tourism Plan 2025.

Underwater suites currently operate on a pontoon 39 nautical miles off the shore of the Whitsundays.