Funnel Bay Resort is envisioned as a retreat destination where architecture harmonizes with nature, offering guests privacy, seclusion, and an immersive connection to the Coral Sea and national park. Strategically sited at the western end of Funnel Bay, the development minimizes disturbance to adjacent residences while maximizing engagement with the surrounding landscape.

The architectural approach is guided by restraint, ensuring the built form lies naturally within the ridge-line backdrop. When viewed from the sea, the hill’s silhouette remains undisturbed. Building massing is carefully articulated, ranging from two to six storeys, with volumes stepping in response to the terrain. Multiple tiers of guest rooms are arranged in parallel layers, interspersed with landscaped courtyards to create light, ventilation, and uninterrupted sea views for most rooms.

Guest experience is choreographed as a journey of unfolding views. Arrival begins at a secluded, landscaped drop-off, progressing through transitional spaces into the lobby, where the horizon is dramatically revealed. The sea-facing check-in lounge, reflection pools, and tiered water features reinforce a sense of closeness to the ocean, despite the hotel’s elevated position. Three tiers of common areas—lobby, restaurants, and event halls—extend this layered connection to water and sky.

The material palette draws inspiration from Australia’s natural and cultural heritage: warm brown tones echoing Aboriginal weaving, grey stone referencing coastal formations, and timber-like aluminum screens offering texture and shade. Expressed in a contemporary, modern architectural language, Funnel Bay Resort is conceived as a place of retreat, balance, and quiet immersion in nature.