Of Islands For Tourists

Plan To Develop Suva's Bay Of Islands For Tourists

After years of talk and pipe-dreaming on the part of those interested in the growth of tourism in Fiji, the Suva City Coun cil has finally approved a plan to develop Suva’s Bay of Islands as a tourist resort.

THE Bay of Islands is a quiet stretch of water inside the reef, ornamented with four islands. One of the islands is commonly known as Mosquito Island, but its official, Fijian name is Nukumarorika (“Happy Jumping Sands”).

The first stage of the Bay of Islands scheme which is the brain child of the Mayor, Councillor Charles Stinson, is to develop Nuku marorika as a bathing lido cum picnic spot.

Initially, the council will spend £2,200 on putting up toilets, bringing fresh water and electricity to the island, and raising its level.

Other plans to develop the area are:— • A waterfront hotel, costing £200,000, on the shore opposite the island, where the Queen’s Road runs.

This will be built by a company re cently formed by an architect, Mr.

Colin Philp, and others. • Two motels along the road nearer Suva and the village of Lami.

One of these will be built by Mr.

Martin Summers, creator of Nasilai Tropicana, near the mouth of the River Rewa. The other will be built by Suva businessman Mr. John

Williams, solicitor-barrister Miles Johnson, and others.

For years Mr. Stinson has kept his eye on Mosquito Island, favourite picnic spot at weekends for Suva residents and a calling place for Vince Storck’s 00100100 and Ooloola cruises.

Now he has a chance to carry out his plans and, as he himself puts it, “preserve it for all time as a public amenity.”

“It is the only stretch of land in easy reach of Suva that has a white sand-forming beach,” he says. “With a certain amount of development it will be possible to lengthen the beach to three times its present stretch of 100 yards.

“The reclamation required for the lengthening of the beach would in crease the area of the island consider ably and the present mangrove swamp would be turned into an open area with mown lawns and garden seats.

“Already it is popular with local residents and it is not uncommon to see at weekends some 20 or more

craft anchored off, or pulled up to, the main swimming beach.”

Mr. Stinson has plans for a boat harbour on the northern side of the island. The fill taken out to make the harbour will be used to raise the level of the island by about 18 ft so that grass lawns will form more readily.

A diving platform will be anchored off the swimming beach and the whole area will be roped off at weekends for swimming.

“Linked with this plan will be a tourist promotion scheme which, in my opinion, is badly needed,” Mr.

Stinson says.

“Too often at Suva we hear visitors complain that there is nothing to do after shopping.

Service To Island

“Storck Brothers already operate an efficient service to the island, and the Union Steam Ship Company use the service often when P and O-Orient ships are in.

“We plan to improve facilities for visitors by providing an entertainment shell of some form, a kiosk with light refreshments and a covered area for the serving of a Fijian-type magiti or even for barbecues.

“In addition, there will be toilet facilities and shower rooms. Special lighting will be a feature and this will enable the island to be used at night.

But nothing will be done which would annoy the people living on the shore opposite.”

Mr. Stinson also envisages Fijian dances on the lawns, a hire service of small row boats and water ski boats,

Suva's Bay of Islands, with Mosquito Island on the left. Photo: Stinsons.

Mr. Stinson.

nd facilities for rod and line anglers n the reef.

According to Mr. Stinson, the coun il does not intend to impose a harge on anyone using the island for leasure. But those using it commerci lly will be required to pay a landing se of a shilling a head for tourists n an organised package tour.

“In addition, people with con essions on the island will pay rents d the council.

“The income from commercial entures should provide sufficient in ame to service the development loan,”

Ir. Stinson says.

Before the Government squashed lem, Mr. Colin Philp also had ideas bout Mosquito Island. He wanted 3 build a £350,000 hotel on it, and y reclamation increase the island’s rea to three times its present size.

Company Floated

But these plans were knocked on le head because the Government re used to lease the island for develop icnt by private enterprise on the rounds that it must remain public roperty.

So Mr. Philp has turned his atten on to the mainland opposite and has oated a company, the Bay of Islands 'ompany, to build a hotel which, Mr. ’hilp expects, will be called the Bay f Islands Hotel.

Mr. Philp knows quite a lot about uilding hotels. He designed much f the Fiji Mocambo at Nadi with his

brother, Barry. He was also responsible for the Reef Lodge Hotel plans and the Tubakula Beach Hotel develop ment taking shape at Korotogo.

Part of the Bay of Islands Hotel will be over the water. There will be floating pontoons along the front as berths for the fleet of yachts, cabin cruisers and other vessels which Mr.

Philp expects will be attracted to it.

It will be the first hotel in Fiji where an approach can be made from the sea, and where skippers can “park” their boats and step straight into the bar.

The first stage of development will include accommodation for 84 people.

Each room will have its own bath, sleeping and sitting areas and its own balcony over the water. There will also be a swimming pool and extensive outdoor roofed areas.

Mr. Philp promises that the hotel will be “specially attractive at night” —which is really something for Fiji, as too many tourists complain that Suva has no night life.

“Everything is now ready to go,” says Mr. Philp, “except for official notification that the liquor licence has been granted and the acceptance of the scheme for a grant under the Hotel Aids Ordinance.”

The motel planned by Messrs. John Williams, Miles Johnson and others will be barely a stone’s throw from the Bay of Islands.