“THE HISTORY OF ARKARRA”
People are always asking us about the history of this magnificent property we call home. So, for those of you who are interested …………
To answer your first question - Arkarra is an aboriginal word meaning “place of many ducks” and was so named by the local Butchella tribe!
Arkarra’s Melaleuca Wetlands, covering a substantial part of the original 200 acre freehold property, were first identified as “swamp” in 1880. Owned by Hervey Bay pioneer Lars Jacobsen, the property was sold to the Stocks family in 1930.
Mac Stocks and his wife Freda raised three sons, Charlie, Jack and Bill and over the years grew sugar cane, pineapples and small crops and ran dairy and beef cattle.
During the 1960’s Mac was approached to extract and sell bedding sand, which was much in demand for laying Hervey Bay’s water mains and sewer pipes. Over several years a considerable amount of sand was extracted and huge lagoons dotted with islands were subsequently formed as the excavation holes filled with water.
This created ideal predator-free roosting and nesting sites for an extremely wide variety of bird species – now numbering more than 170! Normal drainage flows were not interrupted and the seasonal fluctuations in water levels ensured a diversity of food supplies and consequently, the diversity of bird species. Fish and turtles were in also in abundance.
While Charlie and Jack pursued other careers, Bill Stocks chose farming and bought the farm on his father’s retirement in 1977.
Bill, his wife Nola and children Paul, Glen, Tony and Maree saw the need to preserve this beautiful area and make it accessible to the public.
About this time the landowners downstream cleared and drained their property, threatening the future of the wetlands and a decision was consequently made to construct a levee bank 250 metres long to protect and preserve this natural asset.
At the same time, and ensuring the least possible disruption to the local flora and fauna, raised paths were constructed to create walking trails.
Over the years Arkarra has withstood the pressures of agricultural development on surrounding land, bushfires caused by escaping cane fires, regular duck shooting parties and trail bike riding around its perimeter.
In 1990 Bill and his wife decided to progressively develop the property, creating the exclusive park residential subdivision surrounding us today - “Panorama Estate”. Hervey Bay City Council accepted half of the wetlands area for public open space as part of its development approval conditions.
In 1997 the Stock’s obtained approval from Hervey Bay City Council to construct the original Arkarra Tea Gardens building on the key 7045 m2 strategic site adjoining the lagoons. Access to the lagoons and walkways, including the wooden walkway bridge to the main lagoon’s Bali hut feeding platform and the longer walking trails are accessed through our Arkarra Balinese Tea Gardens.
In mid 2003, Bill and his wife decided to lease out Arkarra but changes in family circumstances finally resulted in the sale of the freehold property, with its lessee and their three year option lease in place, to Southern based investors in September of that year.
The next 18 months saw rise to continuous rumours, speculation and scuttlebutt about the future of the entire area, particularly in light of rocketing residential land prices in the Dundowran Beach area generally and its growing reputation as the most expensive, affluent and desirable place to live in Hervey Bay.
In early 2005, fearful that developers could irreparably upset the ecological balance and tranquil beauty of the area, and succumbing to ever increasing massive pressure and lobbying from residents, the Wildlife Preservation Society, the Hervey Bay Bird Watching Society, action groups and ‘green’ organizations throughout South East Queensland, the Hervey Bay City Council made a history making and unprecedented milestone decision to buy the remaining half of the wetlands area from Bill and Nola Stocks.
Lloyd Worland and Pat Cowley are both long term Hervey Bay residents. From their very first visit they passionately loved that special feeling of peace, harmony and natural beauty most people seem to similarly experience whenever they visit us here at Arkarra.
In March, 2005 Lloyd and Pat learned that the southern based investors who purchased the freehold of Arkarra from Bill and Nola Stocks were anxious to pursue a project on the Gold Coast.
It appeared they could possibly be interested in selling. And amazingly, it appeared the lessees the Stock’s had appointed almost 2 years earlier were also possible sellers.
Excited by the prospect of being able to create something really special at Arkarra for the long term future, Lloyd and Pat commenced simultaneous negotiations with the freehold owners and the lessees. In April 2005 they successfully finalised negotiations for the acquisition of both the leasehold business and the freehold property, settling the leasehold in May, 2005 and the freehold in August, 2005.
Lloyd and Pat have already commenced the redevelopment of Arkarra into an authentic Balinese thatched hut village and first class restaurant facility for all types of diners and all sorts of budgets. And from the response and patronage of local Hervey Bay residents, visitors and tourists alike – it’s a winning formula! Don’t forget to sign our Visitors Book at checkout – we love your feedback!
Lloyd and Pat’s plans for the future are as exciting as they are wildly different. Destined to be the pride of Hervey Bay, Arkarra has been designed to be developed in stages.
More
Balinese Huts, countless exotic tropical gardens, bamboo groves, extensive
rainforest and fruit tree plantings, orchid and other epiphyte in- tree
plantings, the introduction of hollow log bird and animal nesting boxes, water
features, a purpose built Balinese style wedding chapel and a host of other
surprises will delight everyone, of any age that ever comes to visit. From now
on, every visit you make will hold some new surprises for you and all your
family however often you return! We look forward to seeing you again soon!