Environmental watchdog gives green tick to Andrew Forrest’s Ningaloo Resort project

Tattarang, the private investment group owned by billionaire Andrew Forrest, has been granted approval by Western Australia’s environmental watchdog to proceed with the development of an eco-resort along the Ningaloo coast.

The Ningaloo Resort project would include a suite of accommodation options including powered caravan sites, eco tents, all-ages villas, and hotel rooms, with a total capacity of 550 guests, and was recommended for ministerial approval by the Environmental Protection Agency on April 4.

Tattarang has been seeking approval for this world heritage-listed Ningaloo coast project for more than two years, with the recent development subject to conditions that include mitigating the impact on turtle nesting by reducing light emissions from the site.

The authority’s chair, Matthew Tonts, told AAP Tattarang would also be required to mitigate impacts on Aboriginal cultural heritage.

“The location of this redeveloped site is in a globally significant area abundant in turtles, subterranean fauna, dark and clear sky values and Aboriginal heritage and culture,” Professor Tonts said.

“The EPA took into consideration that the beach adjacent to the resort is critical turtle nesting habitat and the fact that visitor capacity will not increase from the caravan park which has operated at this site for more than 30 years.

“To mitigate the impact on the turtle hatchings, the EPA supports the best-practice lighting designs of the proposal to reduce the light emissions from the site and that access to the beach would now be via formalised paths.”

Tattarang has undertaken consultations with traditional owners to understand the proposal’s interaction with their spiritual and cultural wellbeing and potential impact on groundwater.

It will also develop a cultural heritage management plan to avoid a site significant to local traditional owners.

The report is open for public appeal until April 26.