The traditional owners of Queensland’s Great Keppel Island have asked for the exclusive use of certain parts of the island following the state government’s decision to cancel the resort’s lease.
In 2021, the Woppaburra people were officially recognized as the island’s native title holders, and they are now looking to acquire the former airstrip and resort site.
According to a report by The Courier-Mail, they are seeking to secure the area’s remaining 570 square kilometers of sea and land.
The development claim, which is still in its pre-notification phase, encompasses nine lots and a partial lot totaling 9.1 square kilometers.
It has raised concerns about the potential impact of tourism on the area. The issue came to light after the state government revoked Tower Holdings’ lease due to the company’s unpaid rent.
The resort, which was once a favorite destination for high school students during the 1980s, closed its doors two years after it was purchased by Tower Holdings.
It was considered a party paradise during that era, but it has since fallen into disrepair. Repeated attempts to revive the site failed.
In 2022, the country’s richest individual, Gina Rinehart, pulled out of the deal to purchase the resort.
In footage from last year, the facility appeared to be in poor condition, with pools of sludge and trash piled up around the hotel rooms.
Due to the government’s decision to rescind Tower Holdings’ lease, the Woppaburra are now entitled to take over the site.
The Queensland government will reportedly challenge the claim.
According to a report by The Courier-Mail, the Department of Resources might classify some of the island’s land as a strategic management reserve.
Scott Stewart, the state’s resources minister, noted that some of the island’s native title had already been extinguished.
This will serve as the government’s response to the claim. It will also challenge the claims regarding the areas that were extinguished.
A spokesperson for Capricorn Enterprise, which is the region’s economic development organization, said that it was not able to comment on the development claim due to the status of the process.
The group noted that it was unsure how the application would affect the island’s plans to be revived.
In the past few years, the organization had been able to work with various stakeholder groups, including the Livingstone Shire Council and the business operators.