Being a luxury eco resort in a coral cay rainforest in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef isn’t easy! Designed and built to the strictest of environmental standards, Green Island Resort set a benchmark and has many unique features that make it one of the world’s most eco-sensitive resorts.
While you might not normally give it a second thought, every building design feature is with purpose to conserve the island’s environment and World Heritage values. Here’s a few interesting reasons why the Resort is built the way it is… things to check out when you come to stay!
Structurally, all resort building and infrastructure (e.g. boardwalks) were built with minimal vegetation clearing, and in many cases, around trees. No building extrudes above the tree canopy (7-8 metres), therefore preserving the natural appearance of the island from the water, shoreline and air.
All units are elevated on precast concrete piles, 900mm above ground level, to minimise disturbance on tree roots close to the buildings, natural soil moisture levels and wildlife movement.
Buildings are linked with raised timber boardwalks to eliminate problems with compaction and erosion. As with the Resort buildings, the raised boardwalks were built around existing trees and allow animals to move freely along the forest floor and do not interfere with tree root systems. The gaps between the boards allow rainwater to fall freely to the ground to replenish the freshwater lens beneath the island.
Green Island Resort set a benchmark...
Rainwater is vital to the survival of the rainforest plants on the island. Buildings have several features designed to maximise the amount of rainfall that falls onto the island. For example, gutters and other rain catchment devices are prohibited. Steep roofs help channel the rain to the ground.
The depths of the swimming pools are limited to 2.2 metres so they do not interfere with the water table beneath the island. Even the colours of the buildings you see were designed to be compatible with the surrounding environment. As when the eco Green Island Resort first opened in 1994, today it resides in perfect harmony with its reef and rainforest World Heritage home.
Back of House is a whole other story, check out Innovative Waste Management Systems
