REVEALED: New floating reef hotel to create Bundy jobs

TOURISM Minister in Bundy to announce new project that will cost $550 a night.

Lady Musgrave Experience Owner, Brett Lakey and Kate Jones with Cameron Lee, James Mason, Phil Mitchell, Danny Layer, Levi Stringer, Johnny Chang, Georgia Dayman, Natalie Lobartolo, Mandy Wong, Rhyanon Powell, Chris Garraway. Picture: Rhylea Millar

BY APRIL you may be able to experience the Southern Barrier Reef from the comfort of your own hotel room.

Tourism Minister Kate Jones visited Bundaberg today to announce a world first for the region, with Lady Musgrave Experience planning to develop a 36-metre long pontoon.

The pontoon will offer a luxurious hotel experience, with a three metre underwater preservatory and a 360 degree view, for just $550 per night.

"This brand new pontoon will open up new tourism experiences for those who are not confident snorkelling or diving on the reef," Ms Jones said.

Design for new three-level pontoon that will include an underwater hotel at Lady Musgrave Island and lagoon.

"This $2 million pontoon will include the world's first ever hotel on the great barrier reef.

"There will be a capacity for up to 24 people to stay and experience the great barrier reef and sleep with the fishes."

This innovative concept will create job opportunities for Bundaberg and provide a new and advanced way to witness Queensland's most popular attraction.

"We know that this will create a splash right around the world as people globally want to come and see our greatest tourism icon, The Great Barrier Reef," Mr Jones said.

"We know that tourism is already worth more than a billion dollars to the southern barrier reef and we want to see this continue to grow because it means more jobs locally."

Construction will start in August, with Lady Musgrave Experience anticipating the attraction will be open to the public by April next year.

More to come

Originally published as REVEALED: New floating reef hotel to create Bundy jobs