It’s no secret that tourism is big business in Western Australia, injecting $4.2 billion into the state economy each year and providing a lifeline for many regional towns.
It’s no secret that tourism is big business in Western Australia, injecting $4.2 billion into the state economy each year and providing a lifeline for many regional towns.
In the six months to June 2006, 111 tourism accommodation projects in the planning stages across the state were registered with Tourism WA, of which 18 projects individually worth more than $1 million had not previously been registered.
These new projects are spread predominantly through WA’s Coral Coast and South West regions, with locations around Perth and the far north-west also prominent.
In the greater Perth region, Accor is planning the next stage of its additions to the Premiere Vacation Club at the Vines Resort Swan Valley. South of Mandurah, Aegena Holdings’ Paul Lance is set to revamp the Estuary Hideaway Cabins along the Old Coast Road and build an additional 40 park homes, plus 60 caravan and camping sites.
New accommodation projects in Fremantle are also on the cards, including a four-storey modern hotel for Bannister Street, off South Terrace, which will comprise 22 rooms designed to be converted to two-bedroom suites with lounge areas.
The project has gained council approval and the developers are awaiting a building licence.
Together with Marylyn New’s Goldsborough Hotel and apartments under construction at the former Elders Wool Stores building, the hotel will be a welcome addition to the hotel scene in the port city.
WA’s Coral Coast is getting its fair share of tourism development action, with 24 projects planned, of which five projects worth more than $1 million are new.
Tourism WA Mid-West regional manager Mike Flood said it was an exciting time for the coastal strip between Jurien and Exmouth, in particular for the towns of Coral Bay and Jurien Bay.
He said Coral Bay had just three freehold lots whose owners were partnering with developers and proposing to boost accommodation in the area by more than 2,000 beds.
“There’s a lot of negotiating going on with existing pastoral lessees, who are the only ones allowed to apply for a tourism permit,” he said.
“It presents a great opportunity to package up with the developers there while the state government plans a new airport in Coral Bay and spends a lot of money to upgrade the existing one.”
The upgrades have also come at a time when SkyWest Airlines is intending to cut its flight fares from Perth to Exmouth by up to 70 per cent.
In the state’s South West, the enduring holiday town of Busselton is the focus for a host of new accommodation projects.
Private developer Terry McGee, owner of the Reedy Creek vineyard property, told WA Business News it had been a difficult process to gain planning approval for six five-star strata chalets and eight luxury suites on his land, with the $5 million project finally securing approval this week.
“We’re converting the existing house into a manager’s residence and will be building a day spa and wine appreciation centre,” he said.
Exclusive chalets set among rolling vineyards and trout-filled lakes make up a proportion of the new projects, however coastal locations still feature prominently, with Cowaramup Bay and Gnarabup Beach about to receive multi-million dollar resort additions.
Mr Flood said more accommodation projects were likely to emerge, as the state government was actively encouraging overseas investment in tourism by developing a ‘land briefcase’ with a list of available sites around the state clear of overbearing planning issues.
“The hurdles have already been crossed on these sites, so if you’ve got the money, start planning,” he said.
