ROTTNEST Island’s deteriorating pub, The Quokka Arms, is unlikely to be redeveloped for another two to three years.
While restoration work will take place over the coming months a complete hotel make over and the appointment of a new licensee will be at least two years away, Rottnest Island Authority Board acting chairman Laurie O’Meara told WA Business News.
“I imagine there would be a two to three year turn around,” he said.
“We have not had a board meeting since the [Rottnest Island Taskforce] report was tabled.
“We resolved that we would look at the report with our own five-year plan and the Auditor General’s report and produce an operational plan with timeframes to do the job and I would imagine that the hotel will be a part of that consideration.
“It’s my understanding that the previous position still holds that the evaluation of a liquor outlet will be needed to assist the viability of the other facilities on the Island.”
The Western Australian Government shelved a $3.5 million redevelopment plan of the Rottnest Hotel by preferred tenderer Mel-Fin Securities earlier this year because it wanted to wait for the Rottnest Island Taskforce’s recommendations.
“Our position is the same as it was before,” Mr O’Meara said.
“The reason the proposal was taken off the table was that the Government didn’t want to hamstring the taskforce in what its recommendations were based on.”
Mel-Fin was due to take over the hotel’s lease from Axis Management earlier this year. However, upon curtailing the development the Rottnest Island Authority took over its management.
Mel-Fin Securities is reportedly suing the Government for not proceeding with the 20-year lease and redevelopment deal.
The Rottnest Island Taskforce recommendations were handed down late last month and advised the Rottnest Island Authority Board to consider the Rottnest Hotel within the context of the South Thomson Accommodation precinct, including the proposed $20 million eco-tourism resort.
It did not recommend immediate redevelopment.
“The State Government has already provided funding to undertake urgently required work on upgrading the existing hotel and tavern to meet health and safety standards and to provide facilities required,” the taskforce’s report says.
“This will provide the opportunity to develop the complex into a more family-friendly area and to restore the Governor’s Residence as a centrepiece of the Island’s heritage.”
Mr O’Meara said the Rottnest Island Authority Board would meet later this month to timetable actions for the recommendations.
He said maintenance work was under way to ensure the tavern would be ready for this summer’s trade.
“The board is spending dollars on a clean up of the existing facility by making sure that it meets health and safety standards and we’re doing maintenance work,” Mr O’Meara said.
Some of the maintenance includes a $5,500 contract recently awarded to Oldfield Knott Architects.
“It’ll be ready for summer, it will be a lot better than it was,” Mr O’Meara said.
“It was being run down before because people thought it might be knocked over and that won’t be the case.
“We are the licensee and we’ve appointed trained staff to manage it.”
Mr O’Meara said the contract with Pitcher and Partners for management advice had ceased.