RACT reveals fresh plans for Freycinet Lodge refurbishment

NEW plans for Freycinet Lodge have been unveiled by the RACT, after an earlier effort was howled down by locals, conservationists and even the group’s own members.

An architectural render of the proposed development at Freycient Lodge done by the RACT and Brett Torossi. Image courtesy of Liminal Architecture and FloodSlicer

NEW plans for Freycinet Lodge have been unveiled by the RACT, after an earlier effort was howled down by locals, conservationists and even the group’s own members.

The RACT has lodged a development application with the Glamorgan-Spring Bay Council for its revised Freycinet Lodge design in the Freycinet National Park.

The State Government agreed to change the 16-year-old Freycinet National Park Management Plan to allow for the expansion of the lodge into the park.

But the RACT chose to return to the drawing board after its first proposal to expand its current leased area by 5.6ha into the park received harsh criticism.

About 200 RACT members signed a petition for a special general meeting to debate the proposal to expand the lodge.

And the plan was strongly opposed by the Freycinet Action Network.

RACT chief executive Harvey Lennon said the development application lodged this week was designed after consultation with members and stakeholders, including Parks and Wildlife.

“We learnt a lesson, an important lesson,’’ Mr Lennon said.

The new Freycinet National Park Management Plan has been altered to allow for more accommodation on the site but no extension to the area leased by the RACT.

Consequently the original plan to allow 12 serviced sites for motor homes and 12 cabins to be developed has been dropped.

Tourism entrepreneur Brett Torossi, who developed the current concept, said the design for the refurbished lodge is a response to the site.

“We put ourselves in the shoes of our visitors,’’ Ms Torossi said. The design, like Freycinet “has no straight lines just the curves and colours of the rocks,’’ she said.

“You can’t find anything in the world that looks like this.”

The rebuilt lodge will contain a new lift and an access suite in the main lodge building, six new rooms on the tennis court area, improved accommodation for staff, and the six cabins will be demolished and replaced with nine pods.

The walls, roof and floor of the pods will be made of glass.

Most of the components will be built off-site to allow for minimal disturbance on-site.

The rebuilt Freycinet Lodge is expected to be completed by mid-2018.