Hook revamp
Queensland’s Hook Island could soon be home to a new $40-million eco-lodge resort.
10 February 2025
Advertisement
Abandoned for more than a decade, Hook Island may soon be developed, following a development application lodged to the Whitsunday Regional Council by the island’s new owner.
A consortium led by Epochal Hotels has submitted a plan to build the property on the island that hasn’t seen a tourist for 12 years after being smashed by Cyclone Anthony in 2011.
Epochal Hotels CEO Glenn Piper said his venture was an opportunity to “start from scratch” without the need to retrofit cyclone-damaged buildings.
“A sad thing about a lot of these islands is they were developed in the 70s and 80s, and they aren’t as efficient as they could be, so it’s quite a challenge for any operator to run them,” he said.
Epochal Hotels purchased a 25-year leasehold of the 9.3-hectare island, with a small group of investors, in 2022 for more than $10 million.
Advertisement
Epochal has released the vision of its planned $40 million-plus rebuild, due for completion in 2027. Given approval, Hook Island will be home to 39 “biophilic cabins”, an arrival pavilion, two distinctive dining options, forest eco pools, wellness spaces and adventure activities. The proposed resort would have capacity for 118 overnight guests and 280 people overall, including day visitors and staff.
“This project has been a labour of love,” Piper said. “We’ve poured our hearts into blending thoughtful design with a profound respect for the island’s heritage and delicate ecosystem.
“After being closed for more than a decade, we can’t wait to soon welcome overnight guests and day visitors alike to experience its magic firsthand.”
Epochal gave the design work to South Africa’s Luxury Frontiers which specialises in sustainable and immersive resorts. Madwaleni River Lodge in South Africa, Naviva, a Four Seasons Resort in Mexico, and Nayara Tented Camp in Costa Rica are among its portfolio.
Piper said he was confident the new design would make the resort more economical to run, and Whitsunday Mayor Ry Collins said the trend toward island resorts focusing on self-sustainability and the high end of the market was driven by commercial realities.
“The cost of running under-sea cables and pipelines is prohibitively expensive,” he said. “Their master plan is really a change on focus from budget accommodation to a more substantial eco offering, targeting a more luxury market.”
Piper’s Epochal has spent around $150 million on pubs and resorts since early 2020, rapidly building a portfolio of properties in NSW, including Q Station hotel and conference centre at North Head, Manly; the Commodore Hotel, McMahons Point; The Harbord Hotel, Freshwater; The Beach Hotel, Merewether in Newcastle; and the Scarbororough Hotel, north of Wollongong.
The second largest island in the Cumberland Group, Hook Island was declared a National Park in 1936 and became a major tourist destination in 1969 with the opening of the Hook Island Underwater Observatory. The observatory closed in 2010 before Cyclone Anthony smashed it in 2011, It closed to tourists in 2013 before damaged further by Cyclone Debbie in 2017.
“The island has been ravaged by cyclones more than once and we are building with that reality in mind – creating a world-class, eco-conscious destination that celebrates and strengthens this incredible environment,” Piper said.
The previous owners Bauenort, a privately owned property development business, received funding in 2021 from the Queensland government’s $25 million Great Barrier Reef Island Resorts Rejuvenation Program.
The funding allowed for the demolition of 10 buildings and removed more than 225 tonnes of waste including diesel tanks, car bodies and building material.
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority said it had been involved in preliminary discussions about possible marine infrastructure but had not received a new application for a resort development inside the marine park.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
