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Kingfisher Bay Ecotourism Resort

(Reprinted from the Kingfisher Bay Resort and Village Media Files)

 
Kingfisher Bay Resort and Village is a fully-integrated, large-scale ecotourism resort which opened in 1992 setting bench marks in ecotourism which have been used by ecotourism ventures worldwide.The resort is designed to give people an enjoyable nature based tourism experience on Fraser Island while creating minimal impact on the environment.

Kingfisher Bay provides a world class base from which to explore Fraser Island. The resort overlooks the calm waters of the Great Sandy Strait and provides a base for boating, fishing and swimming.
World Heritage listed Fraser Island stretches for 123 kilometres and features beautiful fresh water lakes, lush rainforests, spectacular cliffs of coloured sands, rare fens, sandblows, endless beaches,
shipwrecks, wildflowers and abundant wildlife.

Interpretive expert rangers take guests to explore Fraser Island’s significant natural and geological features and interesting Aboriginal and European histories. They provide information and an
environmental ethic on guided walks, 4WD coach tours and marine cruises. 

The resort’s own grounds provide the basis of ranger guided walks. Landscaping mirrors native vegetation and protects the island’s gene pool, walkways protect dunal systems. Self guiding walking trails with interpretive signage and field guides help guests explore.
Rare acid frogs, bats and sugars gliders can be spotted at night around the resort lakes. Bird walks discover some of the 325 species of birds recorded on the island. The bountiful plant life provides
bush tucker (bush food) and natural medicines. A freshwater creek, which runs into the ocean close to the resort, has an excellent mangrove colony. Dolphins, dugong, humpback and minke whales, turtles, rays an other marine life frequent the island waters.

Activities such as bushtucker talks and tastes, Australian wine tasting, progressive dinners between dining outlets, sunset champagne cruises, fishing clinics, guided fishing trips and guided marine and coach tours give guests an opportunity to experience Australia, learn about the environment and mix and make friends. Kids have fun learning about the environment with the Junior Eco Ranger program.

The resort’s architectural design, infrastructure and activities were developed to minimise any adverse effects to the natural environment, conserve energy and minimise waste. Resort buildings are below the tree line. An energy efficiency program incorporates building design, low energy bulbs and room key shut-off systems and saves 855 000 kW hours of electricity per year.

Paper, glass, aluminium, tin and plastics are recycled. An on-site worm farm turns sewage sludge,waste paper and kitchen preparation scraps into compost for a herb garden which supplies the resort
kitchens. Other waste minimisation, green purchasing and green product programs complete the environmental program.

The resort supports the local community by recruiting local staff, purchasing local goods and services and sponsoring most local events and charities. Kingfisher Bay’s dedication to environmental tourism has been recognised by receiving 35 Australian
and international awards for development, architecture, and environmental tourism since opening.

The resort and all tours have been awarded Advanced National Ecotourism Accreditation - eight in all. 

Environmental History

Kingfisher Bay Resort and Village, at North White Cliffs on the western side of Fraser Island, is built to strict environmental guidelines offering all the amenities of a modern resort while blending harmoniously with the island's sensitive ecological system. The resort has been designed and built to integrate with the environment, not impose upon it.

It is estimated that about 57 person years of research, including environmental impact assessment, landscape and architectural planning and energy and waste minimisation techniques, went into the project to ensure that Kingfisher Bay was at the cutting edge of
environmental management and design when it opened in 1992.
Research Prior to development, comprehensive surveys were undertaken, including a detailed site survey dealing with topography and vegetation (including major trees); an archaeological survey indicating previous Aboriginal use and habitation and European use of the site; and a comprehensive inventory of all flora and fauna and a hydrological survey.

Design The resort was designed by Queensland architects, constructed from local materials and built by local builders and artisans. The timber is Australian and most of it comes from
the local timber species. Buildings are below the tree line and are limited to two levels and where possible designed around major trees. 

The resort blends with its natural bush surrounds and the Queensland style wooden buildings with open verandahs have curving tin roofs reflecting the rolling sand dunes. The colours,
greens, burgundy and golden browns, are those of the surrounding vegetation. The main swimming pool is designed to look like one of Fraser's most beautiful spots, Lake McKenzie.

Construction 

The construction of the resort jetty started in January 1989. Building materials were barged to the beach. The jetty was built from mixed eucalypt piles, mainly spotted gum, with satinay planks and beams. Its 250 metre length takes it out to the nearest navigable channel.

The jetty is built over sand flats with the barge ramp set in the sea where it does not obstruct the natural movement of sand and tide. Rock for the barge ramp was brought by barge from a mainland quarry. Early in 1991, prior to resort construction, the road system was completed and sealed to stop the erosion of the sand and provide access for construction. The main resort buildings float on 1600 piles sunk to a depth of 16 metres. The piles are hardwood with treated pine at ground level for termite protection.

During the construction of the resort, around 150 workers lived on site but the majority commuted. Each morning at sunrise a flotilla of boats left Hervey Bay carrying anything from 160 to 480 workmen. At the peak of construction there were over 600 workers on site. All materials were barged from Riverheads and the barge worked day and night.

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