Whitsunday Islands luxury lodge opportunity hits the market

Hook Island Lodge, the site of the former Hook Island Wilderness Retreat in the heart of the Whitsundays, is being offered for sale by CBRE Hotels.

Located on the south-eastern side of the uninhabited and stunning Hook Island, the exclusive 9.3ha site offers two private beaches, more than 1km of water frontage and sweeping views of Hook Passage and the Great Barrier Reef.

Hook Island is one of Whitsunday Island’s crown jewels, with 58 square kilometres of unhindered landscapes set atop the Great Barrier Reef, one of the seven wonders of the natural world.

The current ownership has invested significant time and capital to remove the old infrastructure, and secured Development Approval for a 50-room, experience-based tourism operation.

CBRE’s Tom Gibson has been appointed to take the perpetual leasehold to market, with Expressions of Interest invited before May 19, 2022.

“Hook Island Lodge has the foundations to rival some of the leading luxury lodges of the world,” Mr Gibson said.

“It offers an exclusive island setting, jaw-dropping views and an array of unique local experiences, all on the doorstep to the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef.

“We expect the unique nature of this offering and its flexibility for future use to generate significant interest from domestic tourism owner-operators and international groups looking to secure a foothold in one of the world’s most iconic hotel markets.”

The short list of Australian luxury lodge owners includes Emirates Airlines with One&Only Wolgan Valley, private equity giant KSL Capital with the Baillie Lodges Portfolio, and Computershare founder Chris Morris with Mt Mulligan Lodge.

“Hook Island Lodge presents a clean slate to emulate the success of highly-profitable luxury resorts in the region such as Qualia on Hamilton Island, Bedarra Island Resort and Lizard Island Resort,” Mr Gibson added.

“The resort will boast a mix of luxurious accommodation, including glamping tents similar to Amangiri’s Camp Sarika by Amangiri, private villas and a master two-bedroom owner’s cottage.

“Hook Island is one of the Whitsunday’s most admired destinations, and the new owner of the resort will be able to take advantage of this exclusive-yet-accessible setting, just 40 minutes by boat from Hamilton Island Airport.”