Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah has opened an expression of interest process for its first dedicated overnight accommodation, with operators and investors invited to propose nature-based stays within the Garden.
Possible concepts include eco-lodges, cabins, glamping and tiny homes, although no accommodation project has yet been selected or approved.
Three Areas Identified
Botanic Gardens of Sydney has identified three potential locations for future accommodation:
- Jungle Lodge Area, building on the existing Jungle Lodge and surrounding space
- Conservation Area, offering more secluded bushland settings
- Sunrise Area, a quieter garden location suited to smaller accommodation concepts.
Applicants can propose developments across one or more of these areas, or suggest alternative locations within the Garden.
Conservation Requirements to Shape Proposals
Future accommodation would need to demonstrate commercial viability while protecting the site’s environmental, heritage and conservation values.
The Garden sits about 1,000 metres above sea level and is surrounded by the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Greater Blue Mountains Area. It currently receives more than 220,000 visitors a year.
Any proposal would still be subject to the relevant assessment and approval processes before development could proceed.
EOI Closes in November
A site briefing for interested proponents will be held on 27 October 2026, with expressions of interest closing on 20 November.
The accommodation proposal forms part of a broader effort to encourage longer stays in the Blue Mountains, which recorded around 2.6 million visitors and $1.2 billion in visitor expenditure in the year to June 2026.
For now, the process remains at the market-testing stage, with no final accommodation operator or development concept selected.