4-Star Hilton Golf Resort proposed for Kununurra in the East Kimberley.

9 Jun 2020

According to the local Kimberley Echo news website, there are plans afoot to convert the sand greens of the Lake Kununurra Golf Club into a fully irrigated 4-star golf resort.

The golf resort plan is said to be an important pillar of the tourism industry’s reinvigoration of the East Kimberley’s region. As part of West Australia’s post-COVID-19 recovery, the Hilton Hotel Group will build a $23 million four-star golf resort on the golf course site with treated effluent being used to improve conditioning of the golf course and, crucially, enable the conversion of sand greens to grass.

With tourism crucial to the recovery of the East Kimberley region, the golf project has been backed by the local Shire council, who manage the land on which the golf course is built and will contribute around $2 million over the next two years for reticulation works to be undertaken on the course.

According to before and after images on the newspaper website, architects Neil Crafter and Paul Mogford have been working with the club and council on the golf upgrades and, potentially, some subtle design improvements to the course.

There are many reasons to visit the Kimberley, and numerous attractions for those who make the trip. A comfortable Hilton resort on a nice, green-grass golf course can only add to the appeal of this unique destination.

From the Kimberley Echo report:

A plan to reinvigorate the East Kimberley’s tourism industry by opening it up to a new market has been backed by the State Government, with the “shovel-ready” project poised to aid the region’s COVID-19 recovery.

Under the plan, treated effluent would be redirected to the Lake Kununurra Golf Club — an initiative which would improve the greens and seal the deal for the Hilton Hotel Group to build a $23 million four-star golf resort.

The Water Corporation funded and provided information towards the business case which investigated the recently completed feasibility of irrigating the course with treated waste water.

Water Corporation north west regional manager Sharon Broad said the government body supported the proposal.

“The Water Corporation understands that the WA Government is considering a range of shovel-ready projects to help the WA economy recover from the impact of COVID-19,” she said.

“We looked forward to continuing to work with the Shire and golf club to provide technical advice needed to help progress the idea.”

Former Department of Regional Development director-general and NAJA Business Consulting Services principal Paul Rosair conducted the cost benefit analysis and has briefed WA Premier Mark McGowan, Tourism Minister Paul Papalia and Water Minister Dave Kelly on the project.

He said it was one of the most exciting projects he had ever worked on.

“This project ticks all the boxes, it will increase tourism for the community and be instrumental in the region’s recovery from COVID-19,” he said.