General News
25 August, 2026
Wellness resort mooted for village
A NEW resort that would feature 100 accommodation units, a purpose-designed wellness centre, swimming pools, restaurant, café and bar facilities and landscaped gardens has been proposed for the heart of Yungaburra.
The Sanctum Yungaburra Wellness Resort promises to be “a complete destination experience, combining premium accommodation, health and wellness services, high-quality dining and a distinctive landscape setting” in a development application lodged with Tablelands Regional Council.
The proposal seeks approval for the redevelopment and expansion of the long-established former Nick’s Restaurant, Bar and Pizzeria site and two other lots, and is being put forward by restaurant owner Nick Crameri.
According to the development application, the resort would feature 50 hotel suites, and 50 hotel apartments, including 40 one-bedroom apartments and 10 two-bedroom apartments, all with balconies.
The project would be an economic boost for the Tablelands, with an estimated 91 full-time equivalent jobs generated during construction and, once operational, support a combined total of around 154 full-time equivalent jobs.
“It is also projected to generate approximately $52.1 million in annual economic output and contribute approximately $25.4 million per annum to Gross Regional Product,” the application states.
“The proposal responds directly to an identified gap in the Tablelands tourism market for a full-service, high-end resort and wellness offering of this nature.
“The development has been carefully master planned to create a high-quality tourism destination that responds to the site’s unique attributes while complementing the established character of Yungaburra and the Atherton Tablelands tourism region.
“Occupying a prominent gateway location at the entrance to Yungaburra, the subject site has long been recognised as one of the most strategically located tourism properties within the Tablelands.
“Positioned on the principal approach to the township and surrounded by established tourism, residential and commercial activities, the land is ideally suited to accommodate a significant tourism investment.”
But the application makes it clear that designers have been cognisant of the need to make sure the development suits the village character of Yungaburra.
“The proposal achieves a carefully balanced outcome that respects the scale and amenity of surrounding residential development whilst capitalising on the site’s unique gateway location and longstanding tourism function,” it states.
“Importantly, the proposal is not a conventional resort development. Through its landscape led master-planning approach, the development has been carefully designed to integrate with the site’s topography, surrounding vegetation and village character.
“The built form is broken into a series of low-rise accommodation buildings arranged around extensive landscaped gardens, water features and pedestrian spaces, resulting in a development where the landscape becomes the defining element of the site.”
The architectural plans identify a total of 110 parking spaces, comprising 80 parking spaces within the subject site and 30 spaces associated with the proposed upgrading of Beech Street.
The development application concludes that the project was expected to strengthen Yungaburra’s position as a regional visitor hub; attract higher yielding domestic and international visitors; increase overnight stays and visitor expenditure; support local restaurants, shops, tourism operators and service providers; create construction and long-term operational employment; provide training and career pathways within tourism, hospitality and wellness services; and encourage further tourism and wellness-related investment.
The public will be given an opportunity to lodge official submissions supporting or objecting to the proposal before any decision is made by council.
