Recherche Bay hotel project clears hurdle

THERE is some light at the end of the tunnel for a planned eco-resort at Recherche Bay, with a long-running stalemate over the Crown land lease now resolved, proponent Robert Morris-Nunn says.

The plan for the floating hotel was mooted by Professor Morris-Nunn and Michael Lynch after the State Government called for tourism developments in national parks and reserves.

It was reported in January that the plan, which calls for a hotel built on seven pontoons moored just offshore in Recherche Bay, had stalled due to a stalemate between proponents and the Parks and Wildlife Service. The dispute involved the length of the Crown land lease needed for the development.

Prof Morris-Nunn said the impasse had now ended and a long-term lease would be signed once a development application was approved by the Huon Valley Council and a reserve activity assessment was ticked off by the Parks Service.

Prof Morris-Nunn said the development application and the reserve activity assessment would be submitted by the end of the year.

It is unknown when construction would start or when the resort would open.

“Parks [and Wildlife] are happy for it to be submitted for a DA but there are quite a number of technical reports that have to be put together and we’re in the middle of putting those reports together,” he said.

Meanwhile, World Heritage Cruises’ Troy Grining’s proposal to operate cruises on the Gordon River on a new vessel is expected to be approved in two months.

The cruiser will be named The Lighthouse — a 45m, electrically powered, steel and glass vessel — and would be serviced daily from a second transfer vessel.

Mr Grining has put in a bid to buy the Lady Jane Franklin II from Gordon River Cruises and use it as the transfer vessel.

Mr Grining said he would meet with the Parks Service in two months when he hoped to get the final approvals for the cruises.

But he said the business would not be running for 24 months while The Lighthouse is built and other works done.

Nearby, West Coast Yacht Charters’ three-night Gordon River cruise proposal is progressing through the lease and licence negotiations. It involves taking up to 10 people into the Gordon River for a kayaking experience.

Proponent Trevor Norton said he had to submit more environmental impact information to the Parks Service but hoped to have the project running by October.