STRUGGLES IN PARADISE: HOW FAR NORTH ISLANDS WORK TO STAY AFLOAT

Resort not on State’s failure list

DOUBLE Island appears to have been forgotten by authorities, as the State Government cracks down on run-down Great Barrier Reef island resorts.

Council officers were due to visit the island, off Palm Cove, late last year after ordering resort owner, Chinese property tycoon Benny Wu, to undertake remediation actions.

Inspectors in early 2018 found the resort had been overrun with weeds and littered with rubbish and building materials.

But a council spokeswoman said weather events in December and January prevented inspectors from revisiting the island and another inspection date hadn’t been set.

Mr Wu purchased the resort in 2012 and shut it down, but later gave assurances that he would re-open the property to tourists and day visitors.

However since then, locals claim the former luxury accommodation – once visited by Hollywood movie stars – has been left to deteriorate, and native vegetation had been removed from the beach.

There has also been concerns that Mr Wu may have breached conditions of the island resort’s lease. Despite the decline of the resort, Double Island has been notably absent from the State Government’s recent list of islands benefiting from its Great Barrier Reef Island resorts rejuvenation program. The $25 million program will only target Green and Be- darra islands in the Far North.

A Department of Natural Resources, Mine and Energy spokesman said the department continued to work with council about Double Island.

“On council’s advice, the Double Island lessee continues to meet its lease requirements,” he said.

Enterprise North chief executive Kevin Byrne said the council and the state needed to ensure they kept a close eye on the tourism property.

“They need to hold Mr Wu to account for the Double Island lease,” he said.

“The State Government has made a lot of noise in the past few days about the state of the lease on Hinchinbrook Island.

“Why is Double Island any different? The lessee has a requirement, under the agreement, to have a duty of care for the leased land.”

Mr Wu was approached for comment via his Cairns based spokesman.

PUZZLING: Benny Wu (left) on Double Island with the property’s previous owner Davey Tam; and (right) concerns have been raised about the deterioration of the island.