Emirates breaks ground on new Australian resort

In a marquee set in a rural paddock in the Western Blue Mountains Wolgan Valley, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of the Emirates Airline and Group turned the first sod with NSW Minister for Tourism, Matt Brown; Kerry Bartlett, Federal Member for Macquarie; NSW Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water, Phil Koperberg heralding the commencement of Emirates $100m luxury Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa, which will  see the transformation of 4,000 acres of what is described as distressed farming land into a high-value conservation site and of course luxury resort and spa.

After what has been described at a very senior level in Emirates as inordinate delays, leaving the project over 18 months behind schedule, mainly due to New South Wales Government bureaucracy, yesterday was a day for celebration and a degree of platitudes, although more than one senior Emirates executive said that they nearly pulled the pin on the project a number of times as it was simply too hard working with the NSW Government.

[Pictured left: Hans Haensel, Divisional Senior Vice President, Destination and Leisure Management, tells Tony Williams. Vice President Resorts and Projects and Ghaith Al Ghaith, Executive Vice President Commercial Operations Worldwide…..we did it!]

Yesterday’s ceremony, MC’d by Leo Schofield was described as the result of two years of planning, investment and approval processes marking the beginning of the first resort project for Emirates outside Dubai, with only 2% of the 4,000 acres to be used to create the exclusive resort where it is understood a night in one of the 40 free-standing suites will be in excess of $1,000 and up to $1,500, the property also featuring a main homestead that will feature fine dining, a Timeless Spa, pool area and conference facilities.

The remaining land will be progressively restored to its natural state with the reintroduction of native fauna and flora.

[Kerry Fryer head of Blue Mountains Tourism pictured with Matt Brown NSW Minister for Tourism]

Sheikh Ahmed and the local dignitaries planted a Wollemi Pine as the first of tens of thousands of trees that will help regenerate the Valley, with the Wollemi Pine one of the world’s oldest and rarest plants only recently discovered deep in a secret location in the neighbouring Wollemi National Park.

With the local landowners, of the Wiradjuri people commencing the formalities, Sheikh Ahmed welcomed guests to the ceremony drawn from local communities, government, media and the travel industry. He was accompanied to the event by a delegation from Emirates including Ghaith Al Ghaith, Executive Vice President Commercial Operations Worldwide; Hans Haensel, Divisional Senior Vice President, Destination and Leisure Management; All Mubarak A1 Soon, Divisional Senior Vice President, Chairman’s Office, Facilities, Projects Management and Procurement and Logistics (Non-Airline); Tony Williams. Vice President Resorts and Projects; and Joost Heymeijer, Manager Hotel Projects, locally based in Australia, pictured onthe right with from left, Susan Westwood, Senior Editor Travel Vogue Living and Tim Harrowell, the very well known Sales Manager Emirates based in Sydney.

Sheikh Ahmed [pictured below left told The Mole, “All good things come to those who wait and we are all delighted to see this project taking shape after many years of careful planning and as you know, we started the search for a location in 2004.”  “I am confident that Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa will become an important asset for Australian tourism, the local community and Emirates.”

He added that the resort would open in late 2009, when the resort will welcome its first guests, some 70 per cent of whom are expected to be international visitors to Australia, with many travelling on Emirates, with another announcement made this week that the carrier will be increasing its flights to Australia to 70 a week.

Environmental considerations for the resort include 100 per cent water recycling, green power and a strict waste management system and Emirates has also worked closely with National Parks and Wildlife Service on a conservation plan to protect and conserve the heritage value of the property, including wildlife and threatened species such as the spotted-tailed quoll.

The resort is also anticipated to positively impact the local economy, generating 100 jobs and increased local and international tourism to the area.

An on location report by the Mole in the Wolgan Valley in the Blue Mountains