The soil turning ceremony for the construction of the resort was administered by members of the local Wiradjuri Aboriginal tribe. In keeping with ancient Aboriginal traditions, and to protect the site's cultural and natural heritage, not a single tree was uprooted during the resort's construction.
Since the resort's opening in October 2009, Emirates' Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa has become not only the first carboNZero©™ certified resort in the world, but also the first carbon neutral resort in the world to be certified through an internationally accredited and accepted greenhouse gas programme.
Emirates' Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa is located on Australia's Great Dividing Range and borders the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, a region renowned for its unique landscape and natural diversity. The valley is situated between the picturesque canyons of the Blue Mountains and although the resort's estate is nearly 4,000 acres, the property itself has been built on less than 2% of the land.
With over 175,000 indigenous trees already planted in the wildlife corridors and along creek banks on site, the resort is committed to protecting endangered Australian flora and fauna and to restoring the valley's natural balance and beauty. This includes the reintroduction of the Wollemi Pine (Wollemia nobilis), which was thought to be extinct. The tree, which belongs to the 200 million year old plant family Araucariaceae, was discovered in a nearby canyon in 1994, and is considered one of the most exciting botanical finds of the century. Its discovery has been compared to the equivalent of finding a live dinosaur in the present time.
Built to blend into the natural landscape with the least impact to its surrounding environment, the resort's conservation-led principles reflect in its design, construction and its operating philosophy.
In collaboration with local authorities, the resort has been able to take small volumes of water from Carne Creek, considered to be one of the purest rivers in Australia. Additionally, rainwater tanks have also been built at every building within the resort to provide water for non-potable uses. All domestic water is recycled, while 'grey' water nutrients are removed by way of paddock irrigation and 'black' water is treated on-site. The resort's laundry services are contracted to an eco-sensitive local supplier in the nearby town of Lithgow. Only bio-degradable cleaning products are used within the resort, ensuring even the cleaning processes are kind to the environment, without compromising on health and hygiene.
Local carpenters used wood from fallen trees to craft exquisite furniture within the resort, while original steel and wooden fence posts from the early days of colonial settlement have been creatively restored as lighting and design fixtures. Throughout the construction process, all waste material was disposed of at municipal sites. In order to reduce operational waste on site, suppliers are requested to remove unnecessary packaging.
At Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, there is a firm belief that the environment must be preserved wherever possible. This also extends to the removal of invasive exotic plant species and feral pests.
