Throughout the past two years, three Southern Great Barrier Reef Regional Tourism Organisations, Bundaberg North

Burnett Tourism, Gladstone Area Promotion and Development, and Capricorn Enterprise, along with Tourism and Events Queensland, have been working in partnership to collectively promote themselves under the banner of the Southern Great Barrier Reef.

The Southern Great Barrier Reef continues to gain momentum within the international market.  Statistics show a strong growth in visitor numbers throughout the region and investors and tourism operators are taking note by sinking their money into exciting new product.

Most notably, with its first rooms being available in 2016, the State Government has granted official approval for the biggest tourism development in the State for thirty years.  The 0M Great Keppel Island Resort redevelopment, off Yeppoon on the Capricorn Coast, will be the first Green Globe certified resort in the Great Barrier Reef.

The Plan includes a new beachfront hotel at Fisherman's Beach, several styles of low rise resort accommodation, a marina, retail village, day spa, Greg Norman designed golf course, upgraded airstrip, Research Centre and a 575 hectare Environmental Protection Area.

CEO of Capricorn Enterprise, Mary Carroll says, “We are truly honoured to have such a responsible developer in Tower Holdings, create such an innovative and environmentally friendly six-star tourism product for Great Keppel Island”.

The opening of Bustard Head Lighthouse for tours is a significant milestone in Australian Maritime history and the only place in Queensland where the public has this privilege.  The ever popular 1770 LARC! Tours now includes access to the isolated Bustard Head Lighthouse, the first lighthouse to be built in Queensland.  As of 23 March 2013, visitors can now enter the Lighthouse, climb the original stairs to the balcony and take in the stunning coastal view from Gladstone in the North, to Town of 1770 in the South. 

Within the next 18 months the Capricorn Coast Region will have 250 brand new rooms on line for tourist letting.  These include apartment properties Oshen and Salt in Yeppoon on the Capricorn Coast, and Quest and Empire in Rockhampton's Riverbank precinct. 

The busy centre of Gladstone is sharing in this building blitz with 286 new rooms on the horizon.  Mercure Gladstone is already online, The Grand Oaks Hotel & Spa will open in November this year, and City Central Apartments will be operational in May 2014.

Product development is high on the agenda for Bundaberg.  Turtle Season at Mon Repos Turtle Conservation Centre is undoubtedly a tourist Icon for Southern Great Barrier Reef, and as such a review is underway to create a Regional Turtle and Marine Centre, a year round world class visitor interpretative and conservation experience.

Add all of this to what the Southern Great Barrier Reef already has to offer, and we're sure you'll agree, there are certainly exciting times ahead.

Want to know more? The team from Southern Great Barrier Reef will be in Sydney from 27th– 30th April 2013 for the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) and are located on booth number 403.