The state’s environmental regulation body has backed Adrian Fini’s project at Smiths Beach, recommending the $280 million plan be approved with strict conditions.
The state’s environmental regulation body has backed Adrian Fini’s luxury resort at Smiths Beach, recommending the $280 million plan be approved with strict conditions.
In its assessment of the proposal, the EPA recommended conditions including limiting building heights, protecting native vegetation and animal habitat, and maintaining water quality.
Through Smiths 2014 Pty Ltd, Mr Fini proposes to build a tourism village on Smiths Beach Road in Yallingup.
The application comprises a 65-room hotel and wellness centre, 61 holiday homes, a campground, a Cape to Cape track welcome centre, and shops.
With a development envelope of about 42 hectares, the proposal had attracted significant community opposition.
About 9.4 hectares of native vegetation and fauna habitat would be cleared, and a further 10.5 hectares modified for the proposal.
Nearly 17 hectares of land would be retained as conservation, according to the application.
An EPA spokesperson said conditions included in the assessment report sought to minimise and mitigate the visual impact of the resort.
“These height limits are aimed at protecting the Leeuwin-Naturaliste ridgeline as well as the views enjoyed by those using the Cape to Cape Track,” the spokesperson said.
“During this assessment the EPA was also very aware of the proposal’s proximity to the Ngari Capes Marine Park and the high social amenity associated with the local marine environment.
“As a result we have recommended conditions for shoreline water quality monitoring to ensure marine environmental water quality and coastal processes are protected.”
The spokesperson said the protection of the western ringtail possum and its habitat had been considered in significant detail in the impact assessment.
“Maintaining habitat connectivity between vegetation in the development envelope and the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park is front and centre of the EPA’s conditions,” they said.
“Other measures in the proponent’s Conservation Significant Fauna Management Plan and Offset Strategy address feral animal control, nearby offset areas, and a community-based revegetation program.
“And conditions relating to secondary foraging and dispersal habitat for the western ringtail possum contain a requirement for a conservation covenant.
“This includes establishment costs and long-term management and maintenance costs.”
A Smiths Beach project spokesman said the team was committed to achieve the outcomes under the EPA's proposed conditions.
"Our project team of leading Australian landscape designers and architects have designed the coastal village, including its hotel and community facilities, in a way that is sensitive to the site's environmental and cultural significance," the spokesman said.
"The EPA’s report is another important step in the comprehensive, four year environmental assessment process to date.
"This brings us closer to realising our project vision of creating a world-class seaside village for the benefit of Western Australia and the South West - enabling the local community and visitors to this state to share and enjoy the best aspects of our lifestyle and environment."
But the convenor of the Save Smiths Beach campaign, David Mitchell, has foreshadowed an appeal to the EPA decision.
"There's a lot of disappointment and bewilderment," he told ABC radio.
"It would seem the EPA has done a complete 180 on the clear guidelines they had laid down back in 2009.
"They have rolled over and contradicted their own findings. They now say buildings are permitted up to 9 metres.
"There will be a very happy group of western suburbs businessmen today. The EPA has capitulated."
In mid-2025, the Smiths Beach proposal was amended to remove a seawall, a 100-metre access ramp, feature from the plan.
The seawall had been controversial, with members of the community concerned about the coastal erosion and visual amenity impacts.
Mr Fini first lodged the Smiths Beach resort plan with the Western Australian Planning Commission in late 2021.
The EPA received more than 2,300 submissions during a public feedback period in 2022, with many responses in favour of the regulatory body conducting an assessment of the proposal.
The Environment Minister will make the final decision on the proposal, after a three-week public appeal period over the EPA’s impact assessment report.
