Strategic tourism and transport hub at the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef offered for sale
A pivotal piece of marine and tourism infrastructure in one of Australia’s most iconic destinations has hit the market, with the Sentinel Property Group-owned Port of Airlie – Cruise Whitsundays terminal and marina – now offered for sale.
The maritime terminal, which serves as the key gateway between The Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef, was acquired by the Sentinel Infrastructure (Airlie Beach) Trust in 2015 with a 20-year leaseback, and a further 10-year option to Cruise Whitsundays.
The offering comprises 1,400sqm of terminal building on a 1,893sqm freehold site and approximately 310 lineal metres of pontoon infrastructure. It also includes an 8,119sqm seabed lease marina.
The asset generates a net operating income of $1.877 million per annum, anchored by Cruise Whitsundays, the region’s largest marine tourism operator and part of the Journey Beyond Group. The lease runs until 2035 with a further 10-year option, providing a weighted average lease expiry (WALE) of approximately 10 years.
The sales campaign is being managed by JLL’s Jacob Swan, Liam Cox and Christian Tsalikis, together with Burgess Rawson from CBRE’s Neville Smith and Craig Chapman via an Expressions of Interest campaign.
Mr Cox said the Port of Airlie offering represented a rare opportunity to acquire a landmark income-producing asset in the heart of one of Queensland’s most recognised tourism economies.
“This is a generational opportunity to secure a premium waterfront asset that underpins the Whitsundays’ tourism and transport network,” Mr Cox said.
“Port of Airlie is the launchpad to the islands. It’s where the Whitsundays experience begins for most visitors. Assets of this quality, scale and strategic importance very rarely come to market.”
Sentinel CEO Warren Ebert said the asset has performed well for Sentinel investors over the past decade.
“We have held this property for 10 years and, given the majority of the investors used their Self-Managed Superannuation Fund (SMSF), it is time to return their investment,” Mr Ebert said.
Cruise Whitsundays operates essential transport and tourism services throughout the Whitsunday Islands and Great Barrier Reef, including connections to Hamilton Island and Daydream Island, reef excursions to the Reefworld pontoon, and its flagship Reefsuites and Reefsleep experiences.
Mr Smith said the Port of Airlie sits at the centre of a robust and diverse regional economy supported by tourism, mining and agriculture.
“Few regions in Australia can match the economic diversity and natural beauty of the Whitsundays,” he said.
“Generating more than $3.7 billion annually, the local economy is underpinned by tourism, mining and agriculture.
“With around 70 per cent of the region protected as national or marine park, development opportunities are tightly held, ensuring landmark assets such as Port of Airlie remain highly sought after as the area continues to grow as a premium lifestyle and tourism destination.”
Brisbane-based Sentinel Property Group is an Australian property investment firm focused on commercial and industrial property trusts. Sentinel’s trusts are consistently ranked as the best performing of their kind in Australia.
The Port of Airlie is For Sale by way of Expressions of Interest closing Thursday 20 November 2025 at 2pm (AEST).
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