Co-Founder & Managing Director

Phil’s been running into burning buildings for 21 years, which is probably why building a resort in the middle of the WA outback doesn’t scare him. He’s also a WAFL premiership player, once drafted to Hawthorn, and has qualified and competed in multiple Ironman World Championships because apparently “rest days” aren’t a thing.

At Hotel Sebatikel, Phil runs the big picture - the operations, partnerships, and all the “making it actually happen” parts. Also co-created a luxury outdoor shower and sold over a million dollars’ worth worldwide prior to acquisition.

Co-Founder & Creative Director

Mon’s been designing things for 17 years – gardens, homes, big shiny mixed-use developments, interiors you want to move into immediately – and getting featured in national media and selling out her first self-published book, Slightly Garden Obsessed III, while she’s at it.

She started in landscape design, went on to interiors and architecture, then circled back to plants. In between, she lived in London, worked in travel and figured out how to make everything look effortless.

At Hotel Sebatikel, Mon is in charge of how everything feels – the spaces, the details, the brand, the guest experience and making sure the place feels connected to the land it sits on. Also co-creator of the luxury outdoor shower.

CEO (Child Executive Officer)

Seb runs a tight ship between school drop-off and bedtime. When Seb isn’t masterminding Lego empires, he’s keeping the Sebatikel team honest.

Official duties: quality control on “mum & dad” ideas and making sure they stay relevant.

Also answers to Boss Baby.

Phil handles the grit, Mon handles the polish. He gets the resort built. She makes it worth visiting. Both have a knack for turning ideas into things people actually want – from million-dollar showers to a climate-conscious luxury resort in one of the most remote, beautiful corners of the world.

PHIL SMITH

Phil Smith brings over two decades of frontline leadership and operational expertise to Hotel Sebatikel. A career Senior Firefighter with the Department of Fire and Emergency Services for 21 years, and trainer and assessor for on-site emergency services at major mining companies in the Pilbara and Goldfields regions, Phil is no stranger to high-pressure environments and complex project coordination. Beyond his service career and sports marketing studies, he is a decorated athlete - drafted in the 1996 national draft to Hawthorn Football Club, 1999 WAFL premiership player for West Perth and multiple-qualifier for the Ironman World Championships as an age-group competitor.

Phil’s ability to lead diverse teams, navigate logistical challenges and foster high-performance culture underpins his role in delivering Hotel Sebatikel. He oversees all aspects of project execution, from stakeholder engagement and commercial partnerships to operational readiness and the resort’s long-term strategic direction. His entrepreneurial drive is also proven - alongside Mon, he co-founded a luxury outdoor shower product and e-commerce business with a commercial plumber (and their long-time friend), selling over AUD $1 million worth of units worldwide before its acquisition.

MON PALMER

Mon Palmer is the creative force behind Hotel Sebatikel, shaping the resort’s architectural language, brand identity and guest experience with a commitment to low-impact luxury and deep connection to place. She ensures that every touchpoint - from arrival sequence to landscape immersion - reflects Sebatikel’s ethos of restraint, regeneration and reverence for the natural environment.

Since 2014, Mon has led and collaborated on a diverse portfolio of residential, multi-dwelling and mixed-use developments with an estimated aggregate construction value exceeding $100 million. Her expertise spans boutique development strategy, premium residential delivery, landscape architecture and experiential design - an integrated skill set that directly informs Sebatikel’s positioning as a destination hospitality asset.

Beginning her career in landscapes before expanding into interiors and residential design, Mon developed a reputation for creating environments that feel refined yet grounded. Her work has been featured in national print and digital media for its layered materiality, strong narrative clarity and sensitive response to site. In 2017, she self-published her first design book, Slightly Garden Obsessed III, selling out a 1,500-copy international print run through online platforms and lifestyle retailers nationwide - a testament to her engaged design audience and distinctive voice.

Among her notable project credentials is Asana by Omira in Byron Bay, a $12 million development awarded Development of the Year 2023 – Small-Scale Residential at the The Urban Developer Awards for Industry Excellence. She also contributed to Mana Ballina by Omira ($11 million) and Ohana Apartments by Core Developments ($19 million), regional projects recognised for their strong market alignment and design integrity.

Her portfolio includes high-profile private commissions and collaborations, including the Hindmarsh Residence for Bonnie and Nathan Hindmarsh - later acquired by Lleyton and Bec Hewitt - as well as landscape leadership for Kyal and Kara Demmrich’s Blue Lagoon Build on the NSW Central Coast.

Mon’s professional path has been as dynamic as her portfolio. Prior to studying horticulture and landscape design in Perth, she lived and worked in London, and trained in travel and tourism, working as a travel consultant. This early immersion in global destinations and guest psychology cultivated a deep understanding of hospitality, place-making and the art of crafting memorable experiences - foundations that now inform Sebatikel’s experiential framework.

At Hotel Sebatikel, Mon’s role spans architectural and interior direction, regenerative landscape strategy, brand development, guest journey mapping and the curation of conservation and community partnerships. Collectively, her body of work demonstrates a proven ability to bridge residential development and boutique hospitality - aligning design excellence with commercial viability, and translating vision into environments that resonate emotionally, perform financially and endure architecturally.