DBAHO Posted March 21, 2004 Share Posted March 21, 2004 Sorry Jas, prob out of ur price range. P&O RESORTS have put a price on paradise by announcing it will sell the exclusive Queensland Island Resorts, expected to fetch up to $200 million. Best known as Australia's playground for the wealthy and elite, the super luxurious islands of Lizard, Bedarra, Dunk, Brampton, Herron and Wilson are for sale by P&O, which is focusing its business on European ports and ferries. Lizard Island is renowned as Australia's premier resort destination, offering 24 powdery white beaches on the Great Barrier Reef to its swarm of local and international visitors. Buyers will not need to worry about maintenance costs, as the resorts have all undergone major upgrades over the past four years and are primed for nothing but rest and relaxation of the highest order. P&0 has confirmed it is discussing the sale with parties interested in taking over the business as a whole portfolio, which includes Tasmania's Cradle Mountain Lodge and Silky Oaks Lodge in the Daintree. "We have been investing in the Islands heavily in the recent years and have built up the business significantly, so we felt it was an opportune time to test the market," said P&O spokesperson John Richardson. He would not speculate on whether the sale was likely to be local, but said the prospect of selling the Islands individually was not feasible. "The value of the business lies in its operation as a multi-resort portfolio, and it won't be open for sale to individual parties, Mr Richardson said." Industry sources have tipped major property trusts such as GPT and Macquarie Leisure Trust as the most likely bidders for the cluster of island resorts, which offer accommodation ranging from private bungalows on Bedarra to a 144-roomed hotel on Dunk Island. Queensland Tourism Industry Council chief Daniel Gschwind said the proposed sale had come as a surprise, but the prospects for buyers were exciting. "The Islands offer a top experience, and they are quite diverse," he said. "Heron has a very strong focus on the natural environment and at the other end, Lizard Island is recognised as one of the most opulent resort islands in the world." He said the credibility of the Islands could only be maintained by a unified sale. "There would be a marketing advantage in keeping the islands grouped together, but it will depend on who the buyers are and how they choose to deal with the islands in the future." Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels has been appointed exclusive agent for the sale, but would not comment on any potential buyers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlaSoxxJim Posted March 21, 2004 Share Posted March 21, 2004 I would love to see the Oz government, or the World Heritage foundation or other conservation lands acquisition agency put up tthe scratch for at least Lizard. long before it was heavily developed, Lizard Island was an important hub of GBR research, mostly in regards to reef fish. Sale, Doherty, and a few other heavy hitter in the field worked out of Lizard, Heron, and One Tree Islands for a long time. Getting Lizard or Heron and then shutting down or restricting tourism will allow for some nice local ecosystem recovery monitoring from a baseline tourist-disturbed condition. Maybe it really doesn't matter all that much, since even the more conservative tropical ecologists are putting the end of GBR within 50 years due to human ignorance/apathy. Dumb friggin' Monkeys, yes we are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxAce Posted March 21, 2004 Share Posted March 21, 2004 200 million! you call that alot. I'll buy it easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiSox_Sonix Posted March 22, 2004 Share Posted March 22, 2004 wouldnt it be awesome to be wealthy enough to buy an island and make it a country. LOL, that would be funny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathew Posted March 22, 2004 Share Posted March 22, 2004 I still want Canada to buy the Turk Islands, for our own tropical province. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlaSoxxJim Posted March 22, 2004 Share Posted March 22, 2004 wouldnt it be awesome to be wealthy enough to buy an island and make it a country. LOL, that would be funny Lol! I think I'd call my country... 'Allmeinistan' (and you can't have it!) I actually know some people who have bought a 99-year lease on a private island in the Exuma Chain in the Bahamas. I spent some time 'slumming' and doing research on a neighboring island, and got to know these people during that time. Filthy rich, but the nice kind of filthy rich (if I was filthy rich, I'd be the nicest damn person you ever met!). They have a sweet teakwood pontoon-plane that they tool around in, and a daughter about my age that I would have been a lot more aggressive with if my then-girlfriend (now wife) had only seen the bigger picture... The Bahamas does it right, I think. They will not sell islands to foriegners outright . They'll sell a 99-year laese that terminates on the death of the purchaser. So, while you can't buy up a chunk of the Bahamas and pass it on to your children, you can stake a lifetime claim if you have the cash and thenh enjoy it during your life. I could live and die happily in such a setting - provided that weekly air drops of Guinness and rum could be arranged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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