‘Bizarre’: Geothermal spa development raises eyebrows on KI
Fears are being raised over plans to build numerous geothermal pools and luxury accommodation on pristine Kangaroo Island, with the SA-first development getting locals hot under the collar.
An interstate developer wants to build a new “SA-first” tourist hotspot with 33 geothermal baths able to cater to 250 guests per day, on Kangaroo Island’s North Coast but the Mayor and locals have “serious reservations”.
The project, called “Katharsis KI”, is described as a “600-800 metre geothermal bathing journey” including 33 pools, a restaurant, a day spa and 60 accommodation pods.
But Kangaroo Island Mayor Michael Pengilly said “some of the things they want to do out there just sound a little bit bizarre” and a local opposition group feared it would require “19 Olympic pools” worth of water.
“I’ve got serious reservations about where they’re going to find geothermal water. I’ve never heard of it being under Kangaroo Island anywhere,” Pengilly said.
“I’m not an expert in that field, but I do raise my eyebrows at that scenario.”
According to the plans, currently open for public consultation through the State Planning Commission, “the extent to which geothermal energy is able to be extracted on this site is currently being explored” by the developer, Melbourne-based Junctions90.
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“The hot springs component is supported by the permission granted by SA Department’s Hydrogeology Ground Water Team for the ‘Take and Use’ licence required to access the thermal ground waters,” the plans said.
“The resort’s total annual potable demand of approximately 17.1 ML/year is supported by a diversified supply portfolio comprising bore water, roof harvest, and surface water capture.”
Pengilly also raised concerns about the fire risk, given the north coast site was where severe bushfires were sparked six years ago.
“Fires on Kangaroo Island generally start along that northwestern coast with lightning,” he said.
“The western half of the island is highly flammable, and any development out there is susceptible to severe burning in the right conditions. So that’s something that they really can’t protect themselves against.”
The plans specify that the design has undergone “lengthy analysis” with the Country Fire Service.
“We have worked extensively with the CFS to ensure the safety of the facility and its occupants,” Junctions90 Principal Dina Malathounis told InDaily.
“We look forward in the coming months to the development being provided to SCAP for their consideration.”
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Plans also specify inclusion of on-site fire-suppression tools, like firefighting equipment and access for emergency vehicles.
The proposed wellness development would also include a library, tea rooms and farming, with the developers saying they would limit the removal of plants while prioritising revegetation.
“The facility plans to be inclusive of the local community via the set-up of markets, the facility learning centre, a providore showcasing local produce and the inclusion of a visitor information centre within the facility,” the plans said.
The Mayor said the council would provide a submission to the planning commission, including their concerns about fire safety, road access and the scale of the design.
“We are not anti-development. I’m very much pro-development, as many of the councillors here are, but we need to protect what we’ve got, what people come to see,” he said.
Anne A’Herran, who has lived in KI for a decade and before then visited regularly since she was a child, manages an almost 250-strong community group formed against the proposed spa.
She said the Kangaroo Islanders for Sustainable Development group’s key concerns were the site being oversized, the amount of water it would require, drilling to access geothermal, the impact on native animals and waste management.
“My understanding is there’s a lot of drilling to get down to the hot rock, you’re going more than a kilometre deep,” she said.
She said the amount of water required would be “phenomenal” and was concerned about “the equivalent of 19 Olympic pools” of water that would need to be sourced for the pools and the facility.
The community group was calling for an extended consultation period so that their community, which is mainly an ageing population, has more time to look over the plans.
The consultation closes on January 22and would require state planning approval before construction could begin.
