Green Island Resort wins Queensland’s top hotel award for environmental excellence

2nd of June 2026

Green by name, green by nature, green by practice – Green Island Resort living up to its name!

The multi-award winning Green Island Resort has once again been recognised as Queensland's leading environmentally sustainable hotel, winning the Best Environment and Energy Efficiency Practise category at the 2026 Queensland Hotel Association (QHA) Awards for Excellence announced in Brisbane last night.

From turning waste into resources, to greener energy technologies and advanced water treatment systems, the award recognises Green Island Resort’s ongoing and innovative approach to sustainability and environmental management in one of the world’s most challenging operating environments – a remote island in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef.

Quicksilver Group Managing Director Tony Baker said the award is testament to the resort's dedication to environmental best practices while delivering exceptional guest experiences in a unique location. 

“To be recognised once again for environmental excellence is a wonderful achievement for all our staff. We are incredibly proud of the resort’s team who continually look to improve environmental performance and protect the natural environment that makes Green Island so special. 

“Green Island Resort is a truly unique holiday destination that welcomes guests from across Australia and around the world. This recognition again demonstrates that exceptional visitor experiences and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand.”

Green Island Resort General Manager Sue O'Donnell accepted the QHA award at the gala presentation in Brisbane and said, "We're absolutely thrilled to receive this award. Working and living in a remote environment has its own unique challenges, and we are very proud of the role we play in protecting this special place for our guests and future generations."

One of the resort's most recent sustainability innovations is a mechanical sludge dewatering unit nicknamed the "Cakemaker 5000", integrated into its tertiary treatment plant. The system reduces waste volume by removing moisture by approximately 90%, with the resulting “cake” recycled into compost and used by a local mainland biosolid recycler as fertiliser.

"Our guests are often amazed when they take part in our behind-the-scenes sustainability tours and see firsthand how a remote island resort operates. They learn how food waste is converted into organic fertiliser through our food digester and how our many environmental initiatives work in practice."

This most recent QHA award follows a series of sustainability achievements for Green Island Resort, including Business Chamber Queensland’s ecoBiz 3 Star Partner Award for the second consecutive year, and international recognition in leading UK magazine Wanderlust’s Green List for Australasia and the Pacific - an annual list that celebrates sustainability in travel. In 2024 Green Island Resort won both  the Queensland and Australian Hotel Association Awards for Environmental Excellence.

The resort will now represent Queensland at the Australian Hotel Association Industry Awards in November 2026.

Pictured L-R: Felicia Salmond, Dave Salmond Green Island Resort Engineering Manager, Sue O'Donnell Green Island Resort General Manager, Jodie Wild Quicksilver Group Human Resources Manager.