The legend of Hayman Island is set to live on. On Friday August 5 Queensland Premier Anna Bligh officially re-opened the new-look resort after five months of rectification works following the devastation wreaked by Cyclones Anthony and Yasi earlier this year.
Ms Bligh said Hayman’s re-opening was a “powerful symbol of recovery for the Whitsundays”.
“This paradise was battered and bruised but is now back even better than before. When we see great success stories like this one at Hayman it gives everybody hope,” she said.
Premier Bligh was accompanied to Hayman by Tourism Minister and local MP Jan Jarratt, who said, “Hayman represents the resilience of the Whitsundays”.
“As both the Tourism Minister and the local member it’s an emotional journey for me here today. In the face of the challenges confronting our industry, the team at Hayman has demonstrated that we can fight back from a shocking summer as a community and as a state,” Ms Jarratt said.
The Premier and Minister were taken on a tour of the island encompassing its iconic 16 hectare botanic garden, revitalised with the introduction of 33,000 new plants including 327 new plant species. Ms Bligh was treated to tropical juice and gourmet fingerfoods from the resort’s kitchens before visiting the island’s small state school where students presented her with a special Hayman book.
Before boarding her helicopter, Ms Bligh was presented with a cheque for $32,650 raised by Hayman staff and Hayman/ Mulpha Australia management for the disaster relief appeal.
The employee chosen to present the cheque was Captain Bill Hutchinson, who has been with the resort for 41 years.
“Captain Cook dropped me off on the way past,” Bill joked.
“We’re back to being the best resort in the world, but nothing’s changed in the way we treat our guests,” he said.
Hayman’s General Manager Shane Green said it was staff like Bill who were responsible for “putting the island back together”.
“If there was one thing about this closure it’s that our sense of community and sense of ownership of the island is unbelievable right now,” Mr Green said.
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