After almost two years of radio silence, an update for the $79 million dollar Whitsunday Skyway project was announced to the region’s tourism operators last Thursday.
The cable-car project would link Airlie Beach’s main street with a Summit Station located within the Conway National Park and was rejuvenated post Cyclone Debbie when Minister for Tourism at the time, The Honourable Kate Jones, identified a real need for mainland infrastructure and financially supported a feasibility on this catalytic project.
This week, after the last major announcement two years ago in 2020 when Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk promised a contribution by state government to the project, the Whitsunday Skyway was again brought to the fore.
The business, Whitsunday Skyway, is progressing under an exclusive transaction process with the state government, and information shared was limited.
Australian Adventure Tourism Group (AATG) are the company spearheading the project.
AATG Executive Chair Elizabeth Hackett announced that, after years of lobbying and silent behind the scenes work, the Skyway has a government commitment. This commitment comes with many conditions.
“There has not been a day, over the five years, that we have not worked on Whitsunday Skyway as a company. The Project is more developed than our community are aware of; we are working through an extensive approvals process,” Ms Hackett said.
Those approvals include addressing Queensland Environmental Department concerns and matters associated with the revoking of national park land.
“The question is: is this now a reality? the answer is: yes, it is,” Ms Hackett said.
The 1-kilometre-long cableway is planned to lead to the summit behind Magnums Backpackers in the Conway National Park and has been compared to the New Zealand’s Queenstown Skyline.
“It is a very similar project, but our point of difference is a strong Indigenous component, which will be educational, with a lot of interactive activities,” Ms Hackett said.
“To date, we have been working with the [Traditional owners] – we have been welcomed, and we are now working on Native Title and Cultural Heritage Issues which are essential to ensure all parties are represented.”
The value of the project is, at the latest feasibility as of May 26, at $79 million dollars of capital investment into the region.
So far, Australian Adventure Tourism Group have financed the project and will finance the next stage, which will see the Skyway, in two years’ time, shovel ready if they can secure the necessary government approvals.
Ms Hackett said it would be twelve to eighteen-month build from that point.
The model is a concessionaire model – akin to Hamilton Island – where a public interest project is mobilised by private capital and know-how.
Ms Hackett said VAA, an independent Advisor, have cited Whitsunday Skyway upon completion will have 140 full time equivalent jobs. The indirect jobs on completion are projected to be 591 jobs per annum.
The regional benefit in increased length of stay equates to $56 million dollars per annum, and regional benefit for increased visitation 115,000 visitors, equating to $38.4 million per annum.
Mackay and Whitsunday Life understands the agreement in revoking national parkland is under the condition that suitable land would be offset – essentially traded at a 10 to one ratio, with that land needing to be of “higher ecological value.”
Councillor Al Grundy said that the AATG could likely purchase land further down the Brandy Creek tributary, handing that land to the Environmental Department to turn into national park.
The project is planned to host mountain bike trails, an interpretive centre, a food and beverage centre, adventure activities like rope courses for juniors, and of course the summit’s 360-degree views.
“It is absolutely stunning and what a waste that every tourist that comes to our town is not seeing [it],” Ms Hackett said.
The project was originally designed to offer tourists on-land opportunities away from the at-capacity Marine Park almost 20 years ago.
Queensland Government has made an election commitment of $1 million dollars to the project, currently in trust.
The Whitsunday Skyway project has been in the works since Cyclone Debbie, and if approvals are gained, the build time for the project could see it happen in 18 – 24 months form the time approvals are reached
Image: Supplied Whitsunday Skyway
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