The Mary River Wetlands in the Northern Territory. Image courtesy of Anthology.

‘Well, that went well’ are words Grant Hunt, Managing Director of Anthology–the travellers’ collection (Anthology)–uses judiciously during any major building project. Even more so when that project involves dismantling the entire infrastructure of a luxury outback lodge in Queensland, transporting it 2800km overland, and reassembling the whole ‘jigsaw’–and more–as a new 25-room, premium wetlands safari lodge in the Northern Territory.

In 2009-10, IBA and Anthology–the company behind some of this country’s most exclusive eco-tourism operations–became the first in Australia to recycle an entire resort.

Planning for the move started in 2008 after IBA purchased the Wildman Wilderness Lodge site from Voyages Hotels and Resorts (Voyages). IBA’s aim was to develop the site into a unique, experiential resort that would showcase the vast natural and cultural history of the region, while generating investment and employment opportunities for the local community.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the country–and 300km inland from Cairns–IBA had purchased the assets of the former Wrotham Park Lodge, which had recently closed its doors. IBA bought the lodge’s ten cabins, or ‘habitats’, as well as associated facilities with the express intention of relocating them to Wildman.

IBA invited Grant Hunt and his company Anthology to become a joint venture partner to manage the transfer of assets and formulate a business model for the Wildman site, with an ongoing contract to market and manage the new lodge.

So Grant felt things were indeed going ‘well’ when in November 2009 it took a team of builders, under the guidance of Project Manager Ken McNaught, just 28 days to completely dismantle Wrotham Park Lodge. We’re talking every fixture and fitting of ten architecturally-designed luxury cabins (including verandahs and awnings), a central lodge building with bar and restaurant facility, staff accommodation units, power generators, underground water and sewerage treatment systems, and key electrical infrastructure–all excavated, disassembled, wrapped, packed and ready for loading onto 18 triple road trains.

Even more satisfying for all involved, however, was the successful removal of Wrotham’s environmental footprint, enabling the cleared site to return to its cattle grazing origins. ‘It’s typical of a sustainable tourism development’, said Grant, ‘that you try and move something and return the earth to how you found it. And that’s what we talk about as the ultimate aspiration in nature-based tourism, so it’s nice to know you can do it on this sort of scale’.

(L:R) The Hon. Warren Snowdon MP, IBA's CEO Chris Fry and Grant Hunt from Anthology at the official opening of Wildman Wilderness Lodge.

With the resort materials transported across country to Darwin and placed in storage, stage two of the project involved waiting out the traditional Northern Territory wet season (December-March). The materials would then be transported the final 170km south-east to their new home in the Mary River Wetlands, where each of the buildings would be reconstructed to form approximately 70 per cent of the Wildman lodge.

What no-one could have foreseen, however, was that the Northern Territory was about to experience its longest and wettest wet season in a decade. ‘The Territory got rain in October 2009, and it just didn’t stop’, said Grant. ‘We thought it would rain from December to March, but it didn’t stop until May… I won’t even go into the magnitude of the task of moving everything up country and putting it all back together… And Wildman is now open and everyone’s smiling, but there were some pretty tense moments…it was a very tough project’.

Prior to establishing his own company, Grant had been CEO of Voyages and in that role had spent five years observing the ecology and tourism potential of the Wildman site. He said: ‘We did things like record rainfall every month, and got to understand the seasonal patterns, the humidity, the heat, the animals…so I brought quite a bit of knowledge to the table for IBA when we started to put the project together’.

Having a mutually serious green agenda, IBA and Anthology have combined Grant’s intimate knowledge of the area with best practice technology across Wildman’s sustainable design. This includes utilising solar power and cross-flow air currents for cooling and ventilation, and environmentally-friendly practices for processing sewerage and waste. Grant said: ‘Most commercial operators realise that their success and sustainability as a business is tied to the protection and enhancement of the environment. I’m old enough to have seen a shift to that (respect for the environment) being important for people selecting a holiday experience’.

In addition to reconstructing the original ten habitats, Grant drew inspiration from his travel experiences in Africa in commissioning a further 15 safari-style tents. He said: ‘I’ve been fascinated by how much theme and authenticity the safari tent adds to the experience. I call it a sense of place… At the end of the day it’s about showcasing nature, not building a monument, and it’s important to me that the accommodation sits in harmony with the surrounding environment’.

A major consideration for IBA in purchasing and developing Wildman was the potential economic opportunities it might provide for local Indigenous Australians. ‘IBA’s model really fits what I’m trying to do from a social and cultural perspective very nicely’, said Grant. ‘Their goals and values align very closely with Anthology’s, and while we do a bit more on the environmental and conservation side, their social and cultural values and goals align with what we like to do’. Discussions are currently under way with local Indigenous groups who are interested in becoming joint venture partners.

Wildman Wilderness Lodge offers a variety of cultural and nature-based tours. Image courtesy of Anthology.

IBA and Anthology are also working with local groups to explore options for delivering cultural tours. ‘Authenticity, that’s the word’, said Grant. ‘Visitors are looking for authenticity, and the presence of the traditional owners makes it a deep and meaningful thing, because they have a history with the land and culture… They add contextual layers to the experience, and it builds pride, esteem and capacity within the local community too’.

Two local Indigenous men–Neddy and Daryl Tambling–have so far been employed directly by Wildman to help deliver its tours. ‘They are so proud of their country and their culture’, said Grant, ‘and we want to fill more positions where local people can maximise that cultural delivery’.

Although the resort has been open since April 2011, Wildman Wilderness Lodge was officially opened on 4 August 2011 by the Hon. Warren Snowdon MP, Member for Lingiari.

With the bulk of the work in developing Wildman and the launch now behind him, Grant Hunt feels things have indeed turned out ‘well’. ‘Getting an opportunity to do a new project in nature-based tourism is a very rare occurrence. I feel blessed, and I’m really proud of Wildman… I think it has the potential to be one of the great iconic nature-based tourism experiences in Australia. And it was just this fortunate combination of how it came together that made it happen’.

The Wildman Wilderness Lodge

Located an easy two hour drive (or 30 minutes by air) from Darwin, the Wildman Wilderness Lodge is the missing link in Top End tourism–a premium wetlands safari lodge that sits in harmony with its natural setting just outside the Kakadu National Park in the stunning Mary River Wetlands.

The new 25-room, premium level lodge offers two distinctive forms of accommodation in luxury air-conditioned ‘habitats’ or spacious custom-designed safari tents.

The romantic habitats–whose name reflects Wildman’s commitment to blending with the environment–offer air-conditioned comfort, luxury bedding, premium furnishings and ensuited bathrooms, providing a cool retreat after a day’s exploration.

One of the fifteen safari-style tents available at Wildman Wilderness Lodge.

The safari tents meanwhile were designed by architect Justin Long and interior designers Pike Withers, the Sydney designers responsible for the look of the award-winning qualia on Hamilton Island. The tents also contain single beds, offering a more affordable option for couples and family groups. Each spacious, fan-cooled tent has its own ensuited bathroom.

The main lodge epitomises contemporary Top End architecture and contains a spacious lounge, library, bar and pool area, each designed for maximum comfort throughout the seasons. Wildman’s restaurant offers guests exciting seasonal produce sourced locally and from around Australia.

Situated amidst the unique environment of the Mary River Wetlands, the lodge is surrounded by a seasonal floodplain, a year-round naturally occurring billabong and is home to more than 150 species of birds and animals. A diverse and exciting range of tours are offered, including a dawn cruise over the floodplain, a crocodile and wildlife spotting sunset tour of the billabong, local Indigenous cultural tours, and day-trips into the nearby Kakadu National Park. Guests can also register their special interest and have guides plan tailor-made trips around barramundi and fly-fishing, landscape and wildlife photography and bird watching.

Environmental best practice technology has been applied across all aspects of the lodge, from the generation of solar power to the treatment of water and sewerage, with the aim of creating minimal environmental impact.

Find out more about the Wildman Wilderness Lodge.