Binna Burra Lodge in the World Heritage-listed Lamington National Park welcomed its first overnight guests on Friday (13 November), seven years after bushfires destroyed the heritage-listed lodge, according to a ministerial media statement from Minister for the Environment and Tourism Andrew Powell.
The statement says the new lodge was supported by an $18 million Crisafulli Government investment and has been designed to honour the spirit of the original Binna Burra while delivering contemporary, sustainable accommodation and enhanced resilience in a bushfire-prone environment.
The reopening is expected to generate almost $11 million in overnight visitor expenditure each year and attract an additional 50,000 visitors annually to the Gold Coast Hinterland, according to the statement.
"The return of Binna Burra Lodge is a powerful symbol of recovery, resilience and the enduring appeal of Queensland's world-class natural attractions," Mr Powell said.
Member for Scenic Rim Jon Krause said the reopening was a proud moment for the local community. "Binna Burra is part of the identity of the Scenic Rim and the Gold Coast Hinterland, and generations of Queenslanders have a connection to this special place," he said.
Seven Years of Setbacks
Binna Burra Lodge was founded by conservationists Arthur Groom and Romeo Lahey in the 1930s, ABC News reported. On 8 September 2019, a blaze tore through the area, and the lodge was destroyed along with 11 homes. The ABC reported the fire burnt through 6,000 hectares of rainforest.
Newsreel reported the original lodge was lost along with 42 of the property's 43 cabins, and that the $18 million rebuilding commitment was first announced in June 2022 through the Queensland Government's Regional Tourism Recovery Program. Its Tea House, camping facilities and other accommodation have reopened progressively over recent years.
In an October announcement opening bookings, Binna Burra Lodge said it had weathered four separate disasters in rapid succession: the 2019 Black Summer bushfires, the COVID-19 shutdowns of 2020 to 2022, damage from the 2023 Gold Coast hinterland tornado, and substantial damage from Cyclone Alfred in early 2025.
"Recovery from disaster is not a short term process," board chair Steve Noakes told the ABC. "In our case, it's been seven years, and it's just fantastic today to be welcoming people back to Binna Burra Lodge."
"Welcoming back our first guests brings a collective relief combined with a profound sense of closure and renewal," Mr Noakes said in the government statement. "The transition marks a psychological shift from survival and constant response and recovery modes to a sense of organisational stability."
Concrete Structures Wrapped in Timber
Mr Noakes told the ABC the new facility was designed with concrete structures wrapped in timber facades to ensure better protection against future disasters. "If the worst thing ever happened and a fire did finally get through, the basic infrastructure would still be there to enable repair," he said.
Gold Coast architect and bushfire-mitigation expert Eldon Bottcher told the ABC building design was crucial but only one piece of the puzzle. "We need to make sure we can get firefighters in around the place and we need to make sure we've got a dedicated water supply for those firefighters," he said.
Bookings for the new lodge, as well as the Sky Lodges, Tiny Wild Houses, Safari Tents, Bushwalker's Bunkhouse and Rainforest Campsite, are taken through Binna Burra Lodge.