With the festive season knocking on the door and a new year around the corner, it’s time to ditch the challenging 2020 year and look ahead. Get out your date planner and schedule in these four tourism openings that are sure to shoot to the top of your ‘2021 to do list’.
Silky Oaks Lodge, Cairns & Great Barrier Reef
Luxury treetop escape, Silky Oaks Lodge, has taken lockdown makeovers to new heights, currently undergoing a significant facelift to reopen on 1 October 2021 with a refreshed vibe under the Baillie Lodge brand. Influenced by its Daintree Rainforest surroundings, the refurbed lodge will integrate indigenous artworks and custom furnishings by Australian designers across six luxury villa styles, including the new ultra-premium 323m2 Daintree Pavilion. The 40 luxury villas, alongside the destination-inspired restaurant, will complement the soul and heritage of the region, ready to welcome guests back to the iconic rainforest retreat.
Hazelwood Estate, Gold Coast
Take a moment to breathe in the refreshing country air and embrace a slower state of being when Hazelwood Estate swings open its gates in early 2021. Tucked away in the hills of World Heritage Listed Lamington National Park, Hazelwood Estate will offer luxury glamping accommodation, onsite day spa, infinity swimming pool and wagyu cellar door. The team will also work with local farmers to produce an authentic on-farm paddock-to-plate experience to complement the rural setting and traditional roots of the property.
The 75-acre working polo and wagyu cattle farm in Beechmont is the latest eco-tourism product to call the Scenic Rim home and is projected to attract 18,000 visitors a year to the region and inject an additional $4.5 million into the economy. The venue will also drive visitation to the region via weddings and specialty events.
The Langham, Gold Coast
Beachfront luxury on the Gold Coast’s fashionable Surfers Paradise doesn’t get more glam than the highly awaited Langham Gold Coast which will throw open their grand doors at the end of 2021. Taking pride of place in one of three towers of the Jewel development, The Langham Gold Coast’s luxury offering will span 169 rooms/suites and 170 serviced apartments, with views across the iconic Surfers Paradise skyline in one direction and the soul-soothing Pacific Ocean in the other. Not to mention, one of the finest sand beaches in the world will be just a few steps away thanks to direct beach access.
The hotel will also play host to the signature Cantonese restaurant T’ang Court, an elegant afternoon tea served at Palm Court in the lobby lounge and a luxe wellness spa with treatments inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Lady Musgrave HQ, Bundaberg
Get ready to jump aboard Queensland’s second underwater accommodation on the Great Barrier Reef – Lady Musgrave HQ, a new pontoon providing a novel experience for day trippers, divers and educational groups off the coast of Bundaberg.
Launching in 2021, the pontoon and underwater observatory will cater to both day and overnight visitors. The overnight experience will attract divers and educational groups to immerse themselves in the Southern Great Barrier Reef and sleep under water in retractable bunk beds located in the pontoon observatory. The day tour experience is set to be popular with leisure travelers and families, who can explore the diverse ecosystem of Lady Musgrave Island and the surrounding lagoon which is home to a thriving turtle population.
Coming in 2022:
If that’s not enough to get you excited, flick ahead to your 2022 calendar for more openings, including:
Queen’s Wharf, Brisbane
Brisbane’s cityscape is about to be sensationally transformed thanks to the $3.6bn Queen’s Wharf Brisbane development which will take up residence along Brisbane’s riverfront in late 2022. Poised to become the River City’s lifestyle and entertainment heart, the precinct will comprise of four hotels, a casino, a residential tower and a Skydeck, along with 50 restaurants, bars and cafés.
Queen’s Wharf Brisbane will also boast top shelf accommodation brands including The Star, The Rosewood and The Ritz Carlton (which will sit proudly in the historic Treasury Casino) across the 7.5-hectare public space. By blending contemporary vision with the heritage roots of the existing buildings, Queen’s Wharf Brisbane will reaffirm Brisbane’s position as Australia’s New World City.
The Wangetti Trail, Cairns & Great Barrier Reef
Polish your trekking boots because Queensland’s first purpose-built walking and mountain bike track, the Wangetti Trail, is coming to Cairns & Great Barrier Reef in 2022. The one-of-a-kind eco-tourism trail is being created in consultation with the Yirrganydji People and Nyakali People. It will stretch from Cairns to Port Douglas taking in the World Heritage Listed Wet Tropics. Approximately 94km in its entirety, the trail will eventually be home to eco-accommodation options and traditional camping sites. To find out what to expect along the journey, grab a cuppa and check out this video.
While there is plenty to look forward to in the coming year, 2020 saw a raft of resilient tourism businesses defy the challenges of the past year and open. Discover Queensland’s recently launched activities and attractions now open on Queensland.com.
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