The Trout family, the owners of the property, conduct an existing tourism business on part of the property. This features student accommodation and outdoor adventure education activities, mixed with a day visitor centre. These activities are concentrated on the two smallest of the five lots that make up the 152 hectare property (one 12.93ha and one 9.154ha). www.mungallifalls.com. Separate to these, with independent public road access, is Lot 267 of (40.9914ha), which has outstanding views and other attributes that make it a logical choice for siting the proposed wilderness lodge infrastructure. This Lot has the land use zoning approval for accommodation development of up to 220 rooms. The owners have long believed there is huge potential for a eco-wilderness lodge development on the property and have taken various steps in this direction, involving concept development, appropriate zoning and preliminary engineering and feasibility assessments. They now wish to attract the skills and resources required to bring this project to fruition and are flexible in how this may be achieved. Development of the project may therefore proceed through: - Simple sale of Lot 267, with local government approval but pending gazettal;
- Sale of all five Lots making up the 152 hectare property, with or without the existing business included;
Another arrangement proposed by a party wishing to develop a wilderness lodge that would involve the Trout Family in retaining an interest in the development.
| It should be noted that existing business operations provide access to expertise and skills that are likely to be of benefit to a wilderness lodge. These include general hospitality industry skills together with outdoor adventure activities, knowledge of the local environment, flora and fauna and equestrian activities. A developer may wish to undertake the property development then enter into a management arrangement with an experienced operator. In this regard, preliminary discussions have been held with three respected international hotel management companies. All expressed interest in entering into a management arrangement for the proposed development.
Another option that may be pursued in conjunction with the wilderness lodge development is development of some independent lodges on strata title, which could be included in the management agreement for the wilderness lodge accommodation. 
Concept drawings have not been provided with this document as it is anticipated the developer will wish to pursue their own vision for the lodge. However the concepts which have been prepared are available in any discussions with the Trout family. |
