Covering 4.4 hectares of beachfront land of the 339-hectare national park, Fitzroy Island Resort near Cairns is being marketed by Colliers via an international expressions of interest campaign.

One of only five operational island resorts of this scale in Queensland, Fitzroy Island Resort is currently owner operated and therefore provides maximum flexibility for an incoming purchaser.

Colliers Head of Hotels Australia Karen Wales said this sale represented the perfect combination of a profitable, income generating business with value add repositioning opportunities in an irreplaceable location within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage area.

“Fitzroy Island is one of the most unspoiled islands on the Great Barrier Reef providing any traveller with pristine Australian natural beauty at their doorstep,” Ms Wales said. “The resort operates a range of sustainability programs and initiatives to engage purposefully in the circular economy,” she added.

“Fitzroy Island is located only twenty-nine kilometres south-east of Cairns with high-speed ferry transfers taking only 45 minutes. It therefore offers a rare opportunity to acquire a profitable business in a highly desirable tourism destination with the potential for future income enhancement.”

The Australian accommodation industry recovered at a faster pace through 2022 than what was originally anticipated at the start of the year as the reopening of the Australian border allowed for the flow of pent-up leisure demand, followed by the return of MICE and corporate demand.

The major leisure markets recorded strong gains as holiday travel underpinned the recovery. Hotels in Cairns recorded strong average daily rate (ADR) growth, surging 44.7 per cent over the pre- pandemic level.

Fitzroy Island Resort has a long-term track record of delivering healthy profits with strong occupancy growth over the past decade and reaching a pinnacle over the past two years with occupancies reach 79.4 per cent in 2022, well above the 72.6 per cent recorded in 2019.

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The resort is well-placed to capitalise on the continued strong recovery of the Queensland tourism market.

Ms Wales said being close to the mainland with direct access to the world through Cairns International Airport added further uniqueness to the offering, particularly when compared to other island resorts which are more difficult to access.

Colliers Managing Director Cairns Stacey Quaid said the island receives a high number of day trippers each day and the resort boasts the only food and beverage offering on the island with Foxy’s beachfront bar. Day visitors are only set to increase as demand returns.

“The announcement in December 2022 that Virgin Australia will commence daily services between Cairns and Tokyo is a massive boost for the region with more international routes and passenger traffic expected as global tourism recovers,” Mr Quaid said.

Ms Wales said there is a wide range of facilities at the resort including a beachfront restaurant and bar, two pools, swim up bar and three function rooms. Additional island infrastructure includes a general store, games room, kids soft play area and dive shop, as well as anchorage for six boats and a 190-seat Fast Cat which operates daily transfers to Cairns.

The resort boasts 93 large studio and suite rooms as well as 13 beachside cabins providing a total inventory of 106 keys. There is also a staff village with 61 rooms.

Queensland island resorts have attracted significant domestic capital from some of the country’s richest figures over the past year with acquisitions including Tattarang’s purchase of Lizard Island resort, Annie Cannon-Brookes’ purchase of Dunk Island, Glenn Piper’s acquisition of Hook Island and most recently Shaun Juniper’s purchase of Lindeman Island.

The property is being offered for sale by an International Expressions of Interest campaign closing on 14th March 2023 at 12pm (AEST).

For more information contact the agents via the contact form below.