Sustainability and the importance of local Aboriginal history will continue to be the focus when Bells of Killcare expands operations.
The business has submitted a development application to Central Coast Council to increase its hotel beds and to open a wellness centre on the site.
The wellness centre includes nine treatment rooms, eight therapy rooms, and indoor magnesium pool.
A yoga room would double as a gallery which could promote local artists.
Eight new cabins would increase the hotel accommodation by 16 rooms bringing the total of rooms to 42.
Alterations to an existing residence would turn it into staff accommodation and an existing shed would be used for hotel housekeeping and maintenance.
But there is no change proposed to the restaurant Wild Flower Bar and Dining and no change in the capacity of events and conference activities accommodated within what would become a consolidated site incorporating 107‐119 and 121‐133 The Scenic Road, Killcare Heights into one allotment of 7.155 ha.
Sustainability measures include expansion of an existing solar system, a “closed loop” composting machine for the restaurant, recycling up to 80 per cent of food waste as mulch on the property.
Twenty per cent of the restaurant produce is generated by the onsite kitchen from the garden meaning zero food miles from that 20 per cent.
Other kitchen produce is sourced as close by as possible, the application states.
It says it uses only organic or biodegradable chemicals in the veggie garden.
Bells fosters the habitat for native wildlife and removes non‐indigenous plants.
Rainwater is collected, stored in the dam and reused on the gardens
A management statement submitted as part of the application, said: “Our vision is to further educate the local community, staff and guests on our important Aboriginal history.
“We are acutely aware that we live in an area of strong Indigenous history and significance, and we believe we will have the ability to share local knowledge and timeless dreamtime stories with the world given the opportunity to build a space to facilitate this.
“We plan to do this by featuring Aboriginal and other local peoples, artwork and crafts in the proposed gallery on a regular basis, working closely with other business including Girri Girra, Jake Cassar Bushcraft and Bouddi Art Gallery.
“We have worked with both Tim from Girri Girra and Jake Cassar over the past few years and would like to encourage the opportunity to further develop and explore their offerings within our range of activities, tours and experiences.
“It is our intention to plant native bush foods and other native plants in the new garden to complement the Indigenous education opportunities including tours available to our local schools, community groups and guests.
“Chefs will incorporate these ingredients into The Wild Flower Bar and Dining menu and beverage offering.
“Bells at Killcare is also exploring opportunities to support The Glen at Chittaway Point, a drug and rehabilitation centre for Indigenous and non‐Indigenous men, soon to be expanded to a site to support women.
“Opportunities include exhibiting and selling artwork produced by clients from The Glen at the new gallery and donating a percentage of all artwork sales to The Glen.”
The cost of the development is $5.6M including GST, says the report.
The proposal will go on public exhibition until September 24, according to the council DA tracker.
Source:
Central Coast Council website
DA Tracker DA62765/2021
How are we supposed to reach 70% double dose Covid vaccine by mid October when people in their 40ish have to wait 4 weeks to get their first dose.
Maybe our local state member should concentrate on getting our fair share of vaccine here on the Central coast then we may not get Covid hotspot popping up all over the coast.