Hotel bonanza

By Dion Teasdale
YARRA Valley tourism is set to receive another major boost with the creation of hundreds of jobs thanks to a multi-million dollar five-star hotel, winery and convention centre development.
The development, which was previously referred to as the Hilton Project, is to be built on the site of the old View Hill property, between Healesville-Yarra Glen Road and Old Healesville Road in Tarrawarra.
It will include a four-storey, 146 room terraced hotel complex – which will be built into the side of a hill – about 28 hectares of vineyards, a winery and cellar door, a restaurant and conference facilities.
The 49 hectare-development will offer hotel accommodation for up to 400 people at a time, making it the largest accommodation provider in the Yarra Valley.
Ron Mason from engineering and management consultants Connell Wagner, said construction of the development, which is due to commence this year, was expected to take 18 months.
Mr Mason said the developers had yet to officially announce a name for the project.
He said the developers behind the project, whom he refused to identify, hoped the hotel and winery would commence operation in the first quarter of 2008.
Planning approval for the development was originally granted by the Shire of Yarra Ranges in 2001 but following objections from neighbouring landowners the proposal went to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
Permits for the development were upheld at VCAT but it has taken the development team behind the project another fours years to finalise the financial and commercial package which Mr Mason said would exceed $30 million.
“Something as big and complex as this takes time to put together in the right way. The council has been very supportive and we will continue to work with them,” Mr Mason said.
“We are still finalising the details of the project and there are some minor elements which will require signing off from the council but it won’t be long before we are ready to go,” he said.
Shire of Yarra Ranges executive officer of major projects Ian Stewart welcomed news that the project is proceeding.
“From the shire’s point of view this is a very exciting and worthwhile project that has been a long time in the planning and we are looking forward to commencement,” he said.
He said the project would add significantly to accommodation options in the Yarra Valley and bring many benefits to the local tourism industry.
“This will bring several hundreds of jobs to the valley and create a range of spin-off effects, such as boosting local suppliers and tradespeople,” he said.
Mr Stewart said the project, to be built opposite the former Tarrawarra train station, could tie in with any future development of the Lilydale to Healesville rail corridor.
“There is the potential here to explore opportunities for this type of development to link in with rail corridor projects such as establishing a light rail link between Lilydale and Healesville,” he said.