Queensland Government reclaims Double Island lease
Control of a Great Barrier Reef island has been returned to the Queensland Government after its Hong Kong-based owner was stripped of a tourism lease for breaching conditions.
Double Island, located just offshore from Palm Cove in Far North Queensland, had been the site of a luxury resort until it was closed more than six years ago.
In a legal victory that the Queensland Government says “puts island resort operators on notice to comply with their leases or risk losing them”, the state’s land court ruled in May that the lease could be forfeited because its conditions - namely the operation of a tourist facility or resort on the island - had been breached.
After the deadline for Wu’s legal team to file an appeal expired this week, Queensland Minister for Resources and Critical Minerals Scott Stewart has revoked the tourism lease.
Minister Stewart said that taking the case to Queensland’s land court followed years of failed efforts to negotiate with leaseholder Benny Wu to rebuild the facility and reopen the island.
With Double Island now back in state hands, Minister Stewart advised “the community and the local members want to see Double Island open, thriving and available to use, as do I, which is why I took this action.”
“I didn’t take this decision lightly and it follows a sustained attempt by the Department over time to work with the lessee.
“As a government we are committed to the responsible development of our island resorts for the jobs and business opportunities they create in regional Queensland.
“Our islands are natural assets that we want Queenslanders to be able to enjoy as part of our great lifestyle.”
Minister Stewart has warned locals to steer clear of the island, adding “people should stay away from the former resort while action is taken to assess and address any hazards.
“The resort hasn’t operated for many years and is in a state of disrepair and isn’t safe to the general public.”
Wu’s Fortune Island Holding Company paid $5.68 million for the lease in 2013.
Image: Double Island. Credit: Double Island Resort.
Related Articles
Published since 1997 - Australasian Leisure Management Magazine is your go-to resource for sports, recreation, and tourism. Enjoy exclusive insights, expert analysis, and the latest trends.
Mailed to you six times a year, for an annual subscription from just $99.
Get business and operations news for $12 a month - plus headlines emailed twice a week. Covering aquatics, attractions, entertainment, events, fitness, parks, recreation, sport, tourism, and venues.