REVEALED: Where WA’s first CANNABIS retreat will be located

A chilled weekend in Denmark could take on whole new levels of “chill” as plans are afoot for the State’s first cannabis health retreat.

The Raintree Estate — which includes the Birkbeck family farm — has submitted the application for community and government consultation with a dream of developing a $5 million retreat.

The resort will have a luxury day spa incorporating cannabis treatments, a lodge, half a dozen two-bedroom chalets and six off-grid eco-huts.

Entrepreneur Stephen Birkbeck says he hopes his marijuana dream will become a reality in three to five years if it passes many hurdles including a change to WA laws.

Birkbeck cites research and insists medicinal marijuana health treatments could help visitors tackle sleep disorders, chronic pain, blood pressure, obesity and anxiety — he wants to tie that in with tourism.

“It’s an exciting time in Australia. We’re hearing that medical practitioners are now able to alleviate and eradicate symptoms from patients who may have suffered for decades with chronic pain or mood disorders using medicinal marijuana,” Birkbeck said.

And he wants the prescription treatments to go mainstream.

“Currently the process is relatively clinical where a patient will access a script via their doctor and go home to start treatment, but what if we could evolve the treatment to be one that’s a holistic and healing experience.”

“One where patients can receive a professional health service whilst mentally unwinding, breathing fresh air, exercising, and indulging in fresh produce-to-plate foods from one of the most abundant food bowls on the planet?”

For now he has teamed with CBD Architects lead designer, Roberto Forgione, to design a getaway complete with e-bikes and walking trails.

Forgione is backing the eco-marijuana concept.

“Our vision is to build comfort and calm, taking the surrounding landscape as our lead base for the design and adjusting plans accordingly as we engage the local community,” Forgione said.

“I believe Raintree will be the next award-winning project that the residents of Denmark and the State as a whole will be proud of.”

Medicinal cannabis has been legal in WA since 2016 but is strictly regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration. Products containing cannabidiol are prescription only medicines from pharmacies in Western Australia.

Perhaps the biggest hurdle the resort faces is convincing Premier Mark McGowan to change the laws.

This year his Government said it was committed to marijuana access for medical purposes but ruled out making it a legal recreational drug.

“The McGowan Government has no plans to legalise recreational cannabis,” a WA Government spokesperson said.

But Birkbeck says: “The cannabis retreat will be based on existing regulatory pathways”.