The town of Denham in the world heritage Shark Bay region has been flagged as the second tourism development site as part of Tourism Western Australia’s Landbank initiative.
The town of Denham in the world heritage Shark Bay region has been flagged as the second tourism development site as part of Tourism Western Australia’s Landbank initiative.
The proposed site covers six hectares of prime tourism land at Lot 296 Stella Rowley Drive, just north of the Denham town centre, overlooking the ocean and with views of Dirk Hartog Island.
Tourism WA says the site will provide an opportunity for investment in high-quality tourism developments to complement existing accommodation in Denham and surrounding areas, including the Monkey Mia Resort.
Tourism WA’s Landbank was developed in June 2005 to ensure an adequate supply of development sites to meet the future needs of the state’s tourism industry.
The initiative aims to attract suitable domestic and overseas investors to tourism development projects by identifying strategic tourism sites and making them investor ready through the facilitation of the required approvals processes.
In all, it’s expected 20 sites will be released by 2010, with the first site, Rottnest Island’s Mt Herschel/Longreach Bay, opened to expressions of interest in June this year.
Expressions of interest for the Denham project will be released in February-March 2007, including details on recommended development proposals and criteria on which proposals will be considered.
While specific details of the expressions of interest are yet to be finalised, Tourism WA’s Sheryl Fewster said the criteria would not be prescriptive, allowing the market to dictate tourism development requirements for the region.
“The market will tell us what is needed. It will be up to the respondents of the expression of interest to detail what is appropriate for that area,” she said.
Expressions of interest received will be reviewed by a selection panel comprising representatives of Tourism WA, LandCorp and the Shire of Shark Bay.
Shire of Shark Bay regulatory services manager Jim McKechnie said the suitability of the development site, with its adequate size, sewerage, water and road access, made it potentially ready for investors and town planners to decide on suitable uses for the land.
Mr McKechnie said the potential for the construction of high level accommodation, including a four- or five-star hotel, was one possibility, but added that developers needed to consider the requirements of key markets and additional marketing strategies once the developments were in place.
“Landbank assists in the marketing of potential sites for development…but developers need to look at marketing – getting people here and keeping people here in terms of value adding,” he told WA Business News.
The shire is also finalising criteria for its World Heritage Drive proposal, following a series of public workshops and stakeholder consultations over which tourism attractions should be included on the drive and estimated costs and funding considerations.
The proposal will seek to increase signage to, and promotion of, a number of natural tourism sites located on the drive, including the stromatolites, Shell Beach, Hamelin Pool and Little Lagoon, while working with Main Roads to create acceptable signage templates and acceptable entry statements to the sites.
Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan is also calling for tenders and expressions of interest for residential and tourism developments in Carnarvon.
The proposed developments include a premium residential and tourism development close to the town centre (Northwater Estate), the development of chalet-style accommodation on Babbage Island, and a preliminary design and feasibility assessment for a tourism and recreational precinct at the fishing boat harbour.
