REBIRTH OF PARADISE Lindeman Island Resort To Get Major Makeover

By Amanda Wright

The Queensland Government has allocated funding for a Stage 1 redevelopment of Lindeman Island Resort, situated off the coast of Mackay.

This initiative aims to restore the former Club Med, which was impacted by ex-Tropical Cyclone Yasi, into a vibrant tourist destination. Among the planned improvements is the construction of a fixed 50-metre jetty, facilitating convenient access for visitors to the island.

This redevelopment project has been selected as one of five recipients to benefit from the inaugural $15 million allocation of the Growing Future Tourism Program, signifying a significant investment in Queensland's tourism industry.

Lindeman Island Resort, formerly Club Med, suffered significant damage in ex-Tropical Cyclone Yasi in 2011 and has been left vacant ever since.

The full redevelopment will include the refurbishment of a 210-room, five-star hotel with a restaurant, bar, pool, spa and gymnasium, staff accommodation for 200, a 100-person event space, two 19-metre catamarans for ferry services, a solar farm and nine-hole golf course.

Works on stage one of the redevelopment are expected to commence in 2024 and reach practical completion in 2025.

Wellsmart Group Director, Tony Jia, said, “we are immensely grateful for the government’s support and trust in our vision for Lindeman Island.

“We believe this grant is a great boost in confidence and will become a pivotal step towards the makeover of Lindeman Island resort,” they said.

“Club Med Lindeman Island was once an iconic destination for Australia but has been abandoned since 2012, it is very unfortunate to witness such a stunning island getting forgotten.

“The grant marks the beginning of an exciting journey, and we will proudly announce that Lindeman Island will become a beacon of sustainable development.”

Member for Mackay Julieanne Gilbert said, “Lindeman Island, in its heyday, was a jewel in the crown for our tourism industry in the Mackay region.

“Everyone in Mackay would love to see Lindeman Island restored to its former glory,” she said.

“This fixed 50m jetty funded by the State Labor Government is a positive step and will help open up the island to visitors.”

Five projects will share in the $15 million funding round, leveraging $66.6 million in private investment, supporting an estimated 313 jobs during planning and construction and 669 ongoing operational jobs.

Collectively, these projects will attract more than 216,000 extra visitors per year, spending an additional $63 million.

Tourism Minister Michael Healy said, “the Growing Future Tourism program is delivering new tourism opportunities in Queensland,” Mr Healy said.

“Projects like this, in partnership with private enterprise, will help us reach our ambitious goal of doubling overnight visitor expenditure to more than $44 billion per year by 2032.”

Queensland Government funding will contribute towards the overall cost of five projects, together with private funding.

The five projects are due to reach practical completion by 30 June 2026.

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]Caption: Artist impression of the new Lindeman Island Resort, due for practical completion in 2025

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