The Denmark Shire Council has given the green light to the building of a $5 million health retreat at The Dam on Raintree Estate 10km west of Denmark.

Billed as Australia’s first cannabis health retreat the development includes a reception, lodge, six two-bedroom chalets and six off-grid eco-huts.

The project will be based on sustainable ‘Scandi’ design principles and renewable energy practices.

On Tuesday, September 19, the council voted unanimously to support the rezoning of lot 305, Wentworth Road from rural to tourism purposes including land use for brewery and tourism development.

Raintree director Stephen Birkbeck said community support had been affirmed with the meeting decision.

During public advertising the Shire had received 37 public submissions and seven government agency submissions about the rezoning.

Mr Birkbeck had also run a consultation process, which had attracted 590 submissions, overwhelmingly in favour, via a template response document.

In lobbying for support for the project, the Birkbecks raised the matter of affordable housing to be available for workers.

This included 25 per cent of the accommodation.

Most respondents to the Birkbecks supported their bid to ease the local housing shortage which is a matter of urgency in the community.

But the development approval will only allow for tourism uses and are limited to a single house and caretaker’s dwelling.

The WA Planning Commission does not generally support permanent residential land uses in tourist zones.

Raintree director Chelsea Beaton said the family had been humbled by the support from a grass roots level for the project and looked forward to working with the community.

She also looked forward to working with the Shire to shape ‘our vision’ into reality and to develop an eco-tourism offering like nothing regional Australia had seen before. 

This article appeared in the Denmark Bulletin, 28 September 2023.