Twiggy Forrest’s Scaled‑Back Ningaloo Resort Finally Wins Approval After Years of Delays

Mining billionaire Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest’s long‑awaited luxury eco‑resort on the Ningaloo Reef has finally cleared its last major planning hurdle, paving the way for a $70 million redevelopment nearly a decade in the making.

Forrest purchased the Ningaloo Lighthouse Resort site about 1,230 kilometres north of Perth in 2017, with ambitions to transform the ageing Exmouth caravan park into a world‑class eco‑tourism destination. His original proposal envisioned an $85 million retreat capable of hosting 550 guests, but the plan stalled amid environmental and cultural heritage concerns.

Efforts to secure unrestricted beach access were abandoned after WA’s Main Roads authority warned the works could damage a nearby Aboriginal heritage site. Years of negotiations followed, ultimately forcing a major rethink of the project.

A revised application submitted earlier this year reduced the resort’s footprint by about $15 million and slashed guest capacity by roughly 400. The WA Planning Commission today unanimously approved the scaled‑back design, with only minor amendments.

Z1Z Resorts — the accommodation arm of Andrew and Nicola Forrest’s Tattarang group is now reviewing the conditions attached to the approval. A spokesperson said the company is willing to accept the changes and continues to work closely with the community as the project moves forward.

However, no timeline has been confirmed for construction or opening, leaving locals and tourism operators waiting to see when the long‑promised redevelopment will finally take shape.