BMT WBM: AQUIS Great Barrier Reef Resort Project in Cairns approved by the Queensland Government

Queensland, Australia, 30-1-2015 — /EuropaWire/ — The AQUIS resort Environmental Impact Study (EIS) which contains considerable input from BMT WBM, has been approved by the Queensland Government. This paves the way for development of the A$ 8.15 billion AQUIS Great Barrier Reef Resort Project in Cairns, north Queensland.

BMT WBM (BMT), a subsidiary of BMT Group Ltd, the leading international maritime design, engineering and risk management consultancy, has been responsible for all aspects of flood, coastal processes and water quality management for this project, including the innovative design of the lake quality and flood management system, with salt water exchange via marine pipelines from 2.2 km offshore.

The EIS was prepared by Flanagan Consulting Group for the proposed integrated resort and casino project featuring accommodation for up to 12,000 guests in eight hotels and suite towers; a 33 hectare artificial lake and 40 hectare resort ‘island’. The project also includes an 18 hole championship golf course and a sports and recreation precinct as well as an environmental management and conservation precinct.

Project director Neil Collins commented: “Siting of this extremely large resort well within the Barron River delta system and floodplain has been particularly challenging, but the resulting design has a podium level above the probable maximum flood level, and the proposed extensive site lake system provides for flood conveyance across the site. In non-flood periods, these lakes will form a major feature of the resort, and the salt water exchange system will maintain a high water quality at all times. The resort is designed to withstand extreme cyclone and flood events, and major upgrades to site access roads will improve the flood access for all of the existing Yorkeys Knob community.”

The AQUIS Great Barrier Reef resort will be Australia’s largest private, non-mining project and will compete on the world stage to attract more than one million visitors per year to Cairns and Far North Queensland.

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BMT WBM: AQUIS Great Barrier Reef Resort Project in Cairns approved by the Queensland Government