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$1/2m plan to upgrade island tourist resort
GLADSTONE.- The new lessees of Lady Elliott Island,' the 42 ha holiday resort south-east of Gladstone, plan to 'spend' up to $500,000 on upgrading the island.
The successful tenderers for a 10 year lease on the island are two couples, Kerry and Mary Donohue, of Montville, and John and Judy French, of Bundaberg. '
They beat 12 other applicants including the current lessees and, reportedly, at least one multi-national corporation with tourist interests. They will operate the island as Lady Elliott Island Holiday Pty Ltd. .
Mr Donohue said between $400,000 and $500,000 would be spent in developing the Great Barrier Reef island into an affordable haven for holidaymakers in the middle-income bracket.
Most of the money would go into a sewerage system and water supply. He said the company also planned to build a restaurant and cabins for overnight accommodation, as well as introduce a reafforestation program, scuba-diving and educational excursions.
The airstrip on the island would be upgraded, with Sunstate Airlines providing the air service from the mainland. Mr Donohue said a seaplane also would operate from Lady Elliot as well.as Lady Musgrave and Heron islands down to Orchid Beach on Fraser Island. .
Owned by the Commonwealth, governed by the Administrative Services Department and managed by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Lady Elliott Island would not be turned into a "flashy" resort with highrise development.
The lease also, restricted the number of people allowed on the island,' Mr Donohue said. '
"No more' than 100 people will be allowed on the island at one time," he said. This included the 10 or so people to be employed at the low-key resort.
Mr Donohue said the Island would accommodate about 80 people when work was completed in the next few months.
The upgrading of Lady Elliot would not begin until about the end of February when the current lessees' two month notice ran out.
Mr French said the lease required the development of simple,overnight accommodation and improvements to the airstrip. shops and catering facilities, and restricted major development:, '
It would be open for renegotiation after about three years,
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