Accommodation in Kings Park unlikely after tiny cabins trial
A bold push to allow tourist accommodation in Kings Park has seemingly fizzled out after last year's tiny cabin trial, with neither the Tourism Minister or Environment Minister keen to talk about a future for overnight stays.
The company that brought in the three tiny cabins last June around drawcard event Lightscape has also confirmed it won't be returning when the lights and sound spectacle returns next week.
'We really appreciated the opportunity to trial the concept at Kings Park and while the response was positive overall, we've decided to focus on our regional expansion for now,' a Heyscape spokesperson confirmed to PerthNow.
Your local paper, whenever you want it. Cabins in Kings Park look unlikely to return. Credit: Stephen Scourfield / The West Australian
WA's new Tourism Minister Reece Whitby, who was environment minister when the accommodation trial was supported, referred questions about the prospect of future accommodation for Kings Park to new Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn.
Mr Swinbourn did not answer any of PerthNow's questions this week and a written response — attributed to a State Government spokesperson — was non-committal.
'The Heyscape overnight stay experience provided a novel, world-class experience in an extraordinary location,' the statement read.
'Any future proposals will be informed by the Heyscape review, which provides valuable insights into key considerations for accommodation experiences.'
Last year's State Government-backed trial allowed the three cabins to be set up in the park for the three-week duration of Lightscape, providing a rare overnight accommodation experience for some of the event's 180,000 visitors. The cabin by the DNA Tower. Credit: Stephen Scourfield / The West Australian
At the time, Premier Roger Cook called it a 'start of a new era for Kings Park' as the State Government explored new opportunities for hospitality and accommodation within the park.
'Kings Park is one of WA's best attractions and my government wants to bring Kings Park to life,' he said.
'That means more for visitors to do as they experience one of the world's biggest and best inner-city park.'
But the accommodation audition drew a mixed response, with plenty taking issue with the $495 per night price tag for being too steep.
Community group Friends of Kings Park also slammed the trial because of the potential to 'ruin' the A-class reserve.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
West Australian
12 hours ago
- West Australian
Win the ultimate luxury escape at Berkeley River Lodge with Stranded on Honeymoon Island
To celebrate the launch of Seven's brand-new reality series, Stranded on Honeymoon Island, Seven and PerthNow are giving West Australians the chance to win a luxury escape worth more than $20,000. The lucky winner will enjoy a five-night, all-inclusive stay for two at the Berkeley River Lodge, nestled along the pristine Kimberley coastline in one of Australia's last untouched wilderness frontiers. Accessible only by air or water, the experience combines remote adventure with refined luxury. Launching Monday, 23 June on Seven, Stranded on Honeymoon Island is a raw and romantic social experiment where couples meet for the first time—and are immediately stranded together on a remote tropical island. To extend the experience beyond the screen, Seven and PerthNow are bringing the adventure to life with an interactive competition. Running from 23 June to 3 July, the competition invites viewers watch Stranded on Honeymoon Island, Monday and Tuesday nights at 7.30 or throughout the week on 7plus, then visit PerthNow to answer a video driven question about the show. With a new question released daily, viewers will have multiple chances to enter bringing an extra sense of excitement to the new reality series. This competition offers our audiences the chance to win a truly extraordinary getaway while creating a connection to the show. We think they'll be hooked on from the very start!' The promotion kicks off on Monday 23 June with the winner drawn on Friday 4 July. Ready to escape? Visit PerthNow/stranded during the promotional period for full details and your chance to win.
Perth Now
a day ago
- Perth Now
Ex-sex shop businessman reveals family side with house sale
Former sex shop businessman Malcolm Day has revealed his family side with the recent sale of a home. Mr Day, who lives on rich-lister row in King's Park, recently got $743,000 for a Bertram home which he co-owned with his half-brother Doug. The pair initially bought the five-bedroom, two-bathroom home in early 2010 for $450,000, with the sale representing a 65 per cent increase over 15 years. While not baulking at the hundreds of thousands of dollars in profit, he said the house was never purchased for its investment potential, but to ensure his half brother was comfortable. 2023 | SWM Socials - BANKS Creative at Miami Apartments Penthouse, 2 Bellevue Tce, West Perth on April 29th, 2023. Photo - Katya Roze & Malcolm Day - Alan Chau - The West Australian. Credit: Alan Chau / The West Australian 'He's moved out of it now to live at my Raffles apartment with my mother,' Mr Day said. 'You've got to take care of family.' The typically suburban home, which has a backyard pool and space for a caravan, is far removed from Day's man-about-town image. He made his fortune as the founder of — which he later sold to a rival — set up the fundraising Boobalicious Ball and has dabbled in nightclubs. Though it has been his romances with Perth beauties that have often stolen the limelight, including his current relationship with Ukrainian Katya Roze. Unbeknown to many, Day has also been involved in property development, helping to develop the Miami apartments in King's Park where he now lives. 'I could not think of anywhere else I would want to live,' he said. Bertram home sold by Malcolm Day and his brother Credit: supplied Bertram home sold by Malcolm Day and his brother Credit: supplied Bertram home sold by Malcolm Day and his brother Credit: supplied He has been the major investor behind Tim Willing's luxurious Mt Lawley apartment projects in recent years. Although not in property development at the moment he plans to get involved in the sector again when the timing is better. He claims even some developers in the western suburbs are struggling to make costs stack up. 'Construction costs are high and the Iranian conflict doesn't help,' he said. 'I am sitting out (of property development) until everything settles down, until the risks abate a little. With property development, it is all about timing, and a little bit of luck.' His career appears to have come full circle, returning him to his roots as a civil engineer and licensed surveyor, with his role as managing director of Moab Minerals, which has a uranium project in Tanzania.
West Australian
2 days ago
- West Australian
Perth pet groomers reveal some clients spend tens of thousands of dollars a year on their pet's appearance
Perth dog groomers have revealed their clients are spending thousands of dollars a year to have their pups puffed every week with some treating their 'furbaby' to regular facials, manicures and jacuzzi sessions at elite puppy parlours. Bookings are through the roof and wait-lists are lengthy at dog grooming centres as pet owners prioritise pooch maintenance despite cost-of-living strains. Groomers told The West Australian the rise in apartment living has boosted the popularity of small, non-shedding breeds who share a bed with their owner. 'I think due to a concentration of people living in small homes with small backyards — and more apartment-living — people are investing more in smaller companion breads,' Couture Canine co-founder Charmaine Cayeux said. 'We're growing away from chucking a dog in a kennel in the backyard. None of our clients do that, their dogs are inside. 'They're like velcro dogs so people want their dogs to be clean like children, they don't want them to have a grubby face or bottom, they want them clean and tidy and presentable.' Ms Cayeux's luxury services, which include doggy facials, jacuzzi sessions, nail painting and stylised haircuts, can range between $150 to $500. Couture Canine regular Emma Carruthers told The West she travels half an hour from Alkimos to the West Perth puppy salon because she 'only wants the best' for her Bichoodle Maru. 'I wanted to go there at first because they looked really fancy and I just wanted the best for my baby,' Ms Carruthers said. 'I tried them out and all the girls are super lovely and she's really happy here, she always comes out with a wagging tail so we keep coming back. 'I've never been anywhere as good as this place . . . she's never come out with a bad haircut.' Her 11-month-old 'baby' has a weekly bath and blow-dry, a haircut every six to eight weeks, and enjoys the jacuzzi and nail painting services on special occasions. 'I wanted to do it often just cause I don't like having a dirty dog and she sleeps in the bed with me so it's just nice to have her clean,' Ms Carruthers said. 'I like how fluffy she gets as well, she gets really curly when she gets wet so it's nice to get her blow-dried so she's all nice and fluffy.' The company has a wait-list with more than 50 dogs from all over the State who face a queue of at least a year to join the list of regular clients willing to fork out tens of thousands of dollars every year to maintain their pet's immaculate appearance. Australia has one of the highest pet ownership rates in the world, so it is no surprise that dog grooming businesses are booming in the west. FurBaby Groom and Pamper — one of the oldest privately run dog-grooming salons in WA — opened 10 years ago in Perth's northern suburbs. The owner Shari Fiorentino said the demand for her services has never been higher with some customers paying her close to $5000 a year to wash their dog once a week. 'The need for grooming has gone up exponentially since we started 10 years ago,' she said. 'People say 'I'll try from home' and then four weeks later they're back and they're like 'so that didn't work'. 'Let's face it, we don't want to be sleeping next to a smelly little thing so everyone's getting their dogs washed a lot more often than what they used to because they're living a lot closer to us humans than what we have ever seen before.' Marian Gorman, the owner of Madame Ma's dog-grooming service in West Perth, said her regular customers spend upwards of $7000 a year because 'dogs are family members that parents treat like babies'. 'They're so clever and intuitive and they are their owner's best friend, fur-baby and confidant all in one,' Ms Gorman said. The dog groomers confirmed poodle cross breeds like cavoodles, spoodles and groodles are by far their most regular clients. Barking Butler Grooming Studio co-founder Charlotte Butler said their four-legged clients are required to be groomed every eight weeks but often choose a weekly appointment. 'Consistency in grooming is the key to maintaining optimal coat and skin health,' she said. 'Our clients want their dogs to feel comfortable, stay healthy, and yes, look beautiful — and they understand that takes regular maintenance. 'More and more, we're seeing pet parents treat grooming not as a luxury, but as an essential part of their dog's health and well-being — and it's a beautiful thing.'
