Government ministers, business leaders and celebrities gathered under Broome's spectacular full moon last night to celebrate the official opening of Pinctada Cable Beach, the flagship of Marilynne Paspaley AM's Pinctada Hotels & Resorts.
Pinctada Cable Beach, Broome's new world class resort and spa, is the first full service hotel to be built in the famous Kimberley pearling town for two decades.
The $33 million development was officially opened by the Hon. Brendon John Grylls MLA, WA Minister for Regional Development, following a traditional welcome to Yawuru country by respected Elder Doris Edgar.
Those in attendance included the Hon. Peter Garrett, Federal Minister for the Environment, who congratulated Marilynne on the best practice standards of environmental building and design that are a major feature of the resort.
"This leadership in sustainability shows what's possible when taking care of the environment is fully integrated into the design of tourism resorts and I hope many others will follow suit," he said.
Celebrated entertainer Barry Humphries, who is holidaying in the Kimberley, proposed the toast to Pinctada Cable Beach.
"I want to congratulate Marilynne on this terrific achievement and raise a toast to this marvellous addition to Australian tourism," he said.
Minister Grylls acknowledged the growth of Australia's North West as a tourist destination which attracts more than half a million visitors each year.
"I am convinced that Pinctada Cable Beach now provides a significant boost to the region's tourism offering," he said. "I understand the resort has also provided a major lift to the town, providing additional employment and activity for the locals as well. The owner Marilynne Paspaley has made an extraordinary contribution to the North West with her investments here in Broome and also in Kununurra. The Kimberley Grande in Kununurra is regarded as the area's premier resort and Pinctada Cable Beach builds on her marvellous accommodation portfolio.
"Marilynne is a member of the Paspaley family which has a long and rich pearling history in the region and we are all pleased that she continues to play a major role in this community and is now spreading, through her tourism investments, her support to other parts of the community and sectors of the economy," the Minister said.
Marilynne remains a Director of her family's Paspaley Pearling Company, but Pinctada Hotels & Resorts is an independent venture and during her welcome to her 180 guests she explained her decision to branch into hospitality and tourism.
"During my time in retail, I found great satisfaction in creating an environment where people felt welcome and cared for, where staff were knowledgeable and professional, and where our service provided people with accurate information that enabled them to make informed decisions," she said. "When deciding on this new path, I was excited at the thought of creating a travel experience that captures those same values.
"As someone who has travelled extensively on business for many years, a family holiday is a rare and special time for my husband and me. It is a time for us to reconnect, to re-discover our happiness in each other's company, to enjoy simple pleasures and to have time away from external expectations and demands. I hope Pinctada Cable Beach will become such a haven for others who also seek those personal moments and precious memories."
Marilynne acknowledged the team who believed in her vision and helped make it a reality.
"It is people who breathe life into a vision," she said. "My family, my construction and design team and my staff all responded to my dream of creating a hotel that celebrates Broome, its history and cultural influences, its architecture that makes sense of the climate, its vibrant colours and its harsh but magnificent landscape that is the desert meeting the sea."
The new resort is inspired by Pinctada maxima, the shell that grows and nurtures the world's most beautiful pearl.
"I think Pinctada Cable Beach is a little like the Pinctada maxima shell," Marilynne said. "The shell has an unassuming exterior but is simply beautiful within, and I think our design has that same element of surprise – the public face that it presents to the street is so different to the private face that is revealed to guests who venture within."
The significance of the full moon celebration was also explained.
"We have included the phases of the moon into our logo because it is such a part of Broome's story," Marilynne said. "The natural phenomenon known as the stairway to the moon, the massive tides that result from the different moon phases and of course, the influence of the moon on the life cycle of the Pinctada maxima shell. It is our hope that our guests will find their stay with us a nurturing and replenishing experience."
Last night's celebration began with Pinctada Cocktails and pearl meat canapés in the resort's outdoor reception area and SELENE Brasserie.
Guests were then given lanterns and asked to follow the candle lit boardwalks to the Meditation Gardens.
Following the official proceedings, Broome's celebrated Pigram Brothers delighted guests with a concert of their original music, inspired by the Kimberley landscape.
The al fresco dinner included a selection of Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean dishes from the resort's signature menu, designed by Greg Malouf of MoMo.
The celebration then moved to BRIZO Pool Bar where the entertainment continued with a Greek trio and Sydney band Mr Wilson.
Reflecting the full moon theme of the night, six powerful telescopes were installed by the resort's Maxima Pool and astrology readings were available for guests.
About Pinctada Cable Beach resort and spa:
Pinctada Cable Beach is an intimate 72-room resort with features including the following:
• Pinctada Spa: Australia's only LI'TYA concept spa featuring LI'TYA Spa Care from the Aboriginal Dreamtime, based on Australian native botanicals and tapping into 40,000 years of indigenous plant wisdom and holistic healing.
• Signature Menu: designed by multi-awarding winning chef Greg Malouf of MoMo
• Dining & Bars: SELENE Brasserie, BRIZO Pool Bar, NYX Bar and 24 hour in-room dining
• Environmental Credentials: Grey water treatment, solar water heating, intelligent power management that includes daylight harvesting, recycled grey ironbark floors and boardwalks, joinery constructed to the latest E.U. low emission standards, landscaping featuring mainly native plants that use minimal water and are drought tolerant. The resort's design also captures prevailing breezes, reducing the need for air conditioning which further reduces the resort's carbon footprint.
• Landscaping: Designed by Jamie Durie's Patio Landscape Architecture and Design
• Graciously sized guest rooms with a private balcony or courtyard, spacious marble bathroom, king bed with fine quality linen and personal pillow menu, hi-definition TV, ipod docking station, Nespresso coffee maker, in-house movies, intelligent lighting and air conditioning, overhead fan and flow-through ventilation. The personalised cutlery in the Pinctada Suite is designed by Christofle and the Honjin Courtyard rooms open onto a courtyard with lush gardens and a relaxation plunge pool. The Honjin and Master Pearler rooms offer aromatherapy bath oil menus for their free standing baths.
• Other features include 24-hour service, graciously sized guest rooms, original art, hand selected furnishings and décor, custom crafted Pinctada furniture, concierge and personal butler services, guest gym, resort boutique, meditative gardens, business connectivity and a lounge-based check-in with refreshments.
www.pinctada.com.au
