Deserted private island with abandoned resort up for sale

South Molle Island is on the market with HTL Property officially listing it for sale Friday via an expressions of interest campaign. Source: HTL Property.

A deserted Queensland island with a derelict resort abandoned by its Chinese investor owner is officially up for grabs after years of mystery over its future.

The 28-hectare South Molle Island is the second derelict resort island in the Whitsundays to hit the market in the past few months, after the Queensland government seized Double Island for re-sale off Hong Kong billionaire Benny Wu in June last year.

The Queensland Government has threatened to strip more owners of abandoned island tourism properties of their leases though it is not known if South Molle Island was subject to that.

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File pictures of the resort on South Molle Island in the Whitsundays in a dilapidated state. Picture: Allards Across Oz

South Molle Island is listed with HTL Property’s Andrew Jackson, Andrew Jolliffe and Paul Nyholt. Source: HTL Property.

Chinese billionaire developer Benny Wu is among those whose leases have been stripped on derelict tourism estates. Picture: Anna Rogers.

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The abandoned resort was bought by China Capital Investment Group in 2016, which also owned Daydream Island and Spa, but the following year sustained heavy damage during Cyclone Debbie. It has been in a derelict state but because part of the island is national park, a new jetty was built to allow visitors to access the walking trails.

China Capital has previously listed South Molle Island for sale in 2023, but the property is now listed with HTL Property’s Andrew Jackson, Andrew Jolliffe and Paul Nyholt who officially launched the expressions of interest campaign Friday.

Agents expect strong interest given the Whitsundays’ popularity with both Australian and offshore richlist families, with the ideal candidate being a new investor, hotelier or developer willing to take on the rebuild.

“The island has previously been home to the Adventure Island Whitsundays resort, which comprised 188 rooms and premium facilities ranging from multiple resort pools to a golf course,” said HTL Property’s managing director, Andrew Jolliffe.

The resort was abandoned after being hit by Cyclone Debbie. Picture: Allards Across Oz

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The island is ripe for rejuvenation for a bold buyer, with Mr Jolliffe expecting to see strong interest given several islands in the Whitsundays have successfully been scooped up for redevelopment since the pandemic including Long Island, Lizard Island, Dunk Island and Hook Island.

Mr Jackson, who is HTL Property’s national accommodation director, said “new resort developments in the Whitsundays, such as Hook Island’s upcoming eco-resort and the ultra exclusive Elysian Retreat on Long Island, highlight the surging market interest in new accommodation in the region”.

“Recently opened and upcoming accommodation in the area ranges in scale between higher density resort complexes with 150-plus rooms to private, boutique experiences with as little as 10 rooms, illustrating the fact that there’s no limit to what you can do with the advantageous positioning and peerless appeal of the Whitsundays.”

South Molle Island, Whitsundays, QLD, back on the market again for sale.

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The island is being marketed as a “one-of-a-kind development opportunity” given its stunning Whitsundays location which sees millions of visitors a year given its proximity to the world heritage listed Great Barrier Reef.

Among those are yachties including New Zealanders Anna and Angus Willison who in January last year flagged major concern over looting and destruction of abandoned sites in a column for Yachting Monthly.

“Every island that we visited in the Whitsundays had the skeletons and rubble of once very busy and well-loved resorts. I was saddened to see decaying buildings left to be looted and destroyed by visitors – a pile of garbage and a blot on an otherwise pristine beach,” the couple said, flagging South Molle as one they dropped anchor at.

South Molle Island in the Whitsunday has strong potential for the right buyer. Picture: Allards Across Oz

The jetty was rebuilt to facilitate access to the island national park walking trails. Picture: Allards Across Oz

HTL Property director Paul Nyholt believes there’s strong growth ahead for the island, given a growing tourism trend.

“South Molle Island offers tremendous growth and unlimited upside potential for a buyer with the vision to further develop the property’s natural beauty,” he said.

The firm said the property’s prime location and unparalleled natural beauty “make it an attractive prospect for those looking to enter the Australian resort market or expand an existing portfolio with complete control over the scope of the site”.

No date has been set for the closure of the international expression of interest campaign.

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