Resort

Major resorts and hotels including the multi-billionaire Oatley family’s flagship Hamilton Island in Queensland’s Whitsundays have closed, while Malaysian gaming giant Mulpha has shut its newly refurbished ultra-luxe InterContinental Hayman Island as the spread of COVID-19 continues apace.

After walking away from two major hotel deals in Sydney and regional NSW, Chinese-backed Silkari Hotels has weighed into the sleepy north Queensland tourism bolthole of Port Douglas.

Luxury holiday resort Ocean Grove Chalet is up for sale a year after opening, with a price tag of $6.995 million to $7.6 million.

Hotelier Jerry Schwartz has snapped up one of the key assets of the collapsed Ralan Group at a $32 million discount.

Royal Caribbean has stolen a march on its rivals, including Carnival, taking a 75-year lease on an island in Vanuatu to offer passengers a private destination on its South Pacific cruises.

There are few status symbols that hold up to owning an island and, for those looking to take the plunge, the stunning coastline of Australia has a range of sublime islands for sale.

Queensland’s island resorts are making a comeback, with Dunk Island set to lead the way under the stewardship of its new owners. the London-based investment group Mayfair 101, which has splashed out more than $30 million on the property.

The Aria Property Group is set to embark on its largest project to date following the approval of a $350 million integrated resort development at Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast.

Fresh from the $135 million redevelopment of Hayman Island, Malaysian conglomerate Mulpha Australia is looking to buy more Australian and New Zealand real estate as well as embarking on at least two redevelopments of its existing local properties.