NRMA’s Turtle Sands Nature Resort at Mon Repos, near Bundaberg, Queensland, has been officially opened amidst bumper turtle season.
The opening of the nature resort to coincide with a hugely successful turtle nesting and now hatchling season, which has seen more than 500 endangered loggerhead, flatback, and green turtles come to shore between October and December last year to lay their eggs among the sand dunes.
As a result, this summer’s hatchling season has produced waves of baby turtles emerging from their sandy nests to make their way to the ocean, much to the delight of visitors to the Mon Repos Turtle Centre.
The official opening ceremony, by Queensland Minister for the Environment and Tourism, Andrew Powell, took place at the Turtle Sands lawned reserve, a hub for guest activity that includes outdoor dining tables, a camp kitchen, a yarning circle and giant, turtle-shaped swimming pool.
Minister Powell said the Queensland Government was proud of the funding partnership with NRMA to deliver the Turtle Sands Nature Resort Nature Resort, and he was delighted to see so many guests from interstate and overseas enjoying the beachside park, as well as witnessing nesting and hatching turtles at Mon Repos.
“It has been a pleasure working with the NRMA Parks and Resorts team to support the Turtle Sands development, and we’re delighted to see the nature resort now thriving in Bundaberg,” the minister said.
“Every effort has been taken to create an environmentally sustainable, accessible, quality guest accommodation experience, whilst at the same time helping to safeguard the turtle population.
“We will continue to support ecotourism opportunities like this throughout Queensland which are a major focus of our new 20-year tourism plan and harness our incredible natural assets whilst protecting and preserving the environment, for generations to come and enjoy.”
NRMA Parks and Resorts chief executive officer, Paul Davies, said it was wonderful to welcome Minister for the Environment and Tourism Andrew Powell to Turtle Sands as its first turtle season was in full swing.
“Since welcoming our first guests to Turtle Sands last September, we have had the privilege of hosting hundreds of visitors eager to witness this incredible natural spectacle,” Davies said.
“It has been remarkable to see loggerhead, flatback, and green turtles come ashore to lay their eggs, creating unforgettable experiences for all who visit.
“Now in February, those little hatchlings are emerging from their nests and making their journey to the ocean, and it’s all right on our doorstep here at Turtle Sands.
“We’re also so pleased to see our guests’ very positive response to the Turtle Protection Promise which includes keeping light and noise to a minimum from dusk until dawn, when turtles are at their most active on the beach nearby.”
