Leading experiential travel and tourism group Journey Beyond is slated to expand its experience offering, announcing a major $5-million refurbishments to Sal Salis eco-luxury experience in Ningaloo Reef.

Slated to open next year, major refurbishments including an upgraded central sundeck and lounge, and revamped reception and arrival experience. A new dining area will boast banquette-style seating and an upgraded bar, blending opportunities for communal connection and individual retreat.

Sal Salis continues Woods Bagot’s legacy of collaboration with Journey Beyond, most recently delivering the Aurora and Australis luxury rail suites for The Ghan, Indian Pacific, and Great Southern fleets. 

The reimagined resort will feature sixteen eco-luxury “Wilderness Tents”, complete with ensuite bathrooms set among the dunes of Cape Range National Park. Harnessing the quintessence of laid-back luxury, the design will feature teak, reclaimed jarrah, woven rope and metalwork throughout, with materials selected to respond to the coastal conditions. Louvred windows and refreshed interiors inspire connection and sensitivity to the surrounding reef and coastline.

Woods Bagot Director Rosina Di Maria says materials have been selected to reference the shoreside charm of driftwood and seagrass, with materials designed to weather and silver with age. Rattan finishes, natural fibres, frayed fabrics and repurposed timber exude warmth and tactility, tapping into a uniquely Australian vein of raw refinement.  

“Rather than resisting the elements, materials are chosen to weather gracefully, durable enough to sit with the salt air and designed to silver naturally over time,” says Di Maria. “Coastal references appear in woven rope and knot details, creating textural envelopes throughout the space.”  

Journey Beyond Chief Executive Chris Tallent says the investment will preserve Sal Salis’s character while improving the guest experience.

“The new look and feel remains true to the natural beauty of Sal Salis, with a refurbishment that is sensitive to the environment and designed to sit harmoniously within its surroundings,” says Tallent.  

“The evolution of Sal Salis reflects our commitment to continually elevating the guest experience and is about making an already special experience even better.”

Ningaloo is a UNESCO World Heritage-listed reef, and one of the world’s largest fringing reefs. Following extensive works, Sal Salis will reopen late March 2027. 

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Isla Sutherland
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