Caravan king Gerry Ryan puts $50m safari lodge on the market

Having taken a keen interest in the safari park’s rhino conservation program, Mr Ryan wanted to develop accommodation that would draw more people to Monarto, which is about 70 kilometres from Adelaide in the Murraylands region.

“I believe Monarto is a jewel in South Australia’s crown and the aim of this development is to create a truly memorable safari experience second only to a safari in Africa,” Mr Ryan said at the time.

Offering 78 guestrooms and 20 glamping tents with views overlooking the park’s African-inspired landscape and animals, as well as conference facilities, a gourmet restaurant, and bar, swimming pools, spa and cafe, the resort was originally due to be completed in late 2021.

However, construction was delayed due to the pandemic and the closure of the safari park. It is now due to open in the third quarter of the year.

Mr Ryan, who just missed out appearing on the 2024 Financial Review Rich List (he ranked 199th in 2023 with a $693 million fortune), is selling the resort to focus on Jayco and his interests in Victoria. These include the Hubert Estate in the Yarra Valley and Mitchelton Winery in Nagambie.

Mr Ryan is also an investor, alongside carsales.com.au founder Wal Pisciotta, in Gumbuya World, a wildlife and amusement park about an hour from Melbourne.

“Our aim [at Monarto] has always been to offer guests an unparalleled experience, allowing them to immerse themselves in the natural wonder of the land while raising awareness about the crucial conservation initiatives taking place,” Mr Ryan said.

Buyer interest is expected to come from high-net-worth investors with an interest in tourism and nature conservation or a fund manager who holds other similar hospitality assets in its portfolio (such as Elanor, which owns the Hunter Valley Wildlife Park and the Mogo Wildlife Park).

JLL’s Nick MacFie and Peter Harper have been appointed to run the expressions of interest sale process for the resort, with Advise Transact, led by Mark Wizel, acting as Mr Ryan’s adviser on the sale.

While the appeal of the resort has yet to be tested, Mr Harper said similar offerings at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo and Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo, in central west NSW, had “demonstrated the captured audience and demand for such an experience”.

Incoming investors will be able to choose their own operator and brand, while there is also the potential for expansion – the Intro Architecture resort occupies just under 18ha of the 66ha freehold site – and complementary uses, Mr MacFie said.

Once operational, safari tours will regularly depart from the resort’s main entrance.

The safari park, which is spread across 1500ha of undulating mallee country, is one of the largest in the world outside of Africa.

It was opened in 1983 as a special-purpose breeding area, but became a zoo in 1990. Its first residents were two female bison imported from Auckland Zoo. Animals in the park include lions, giraffes, rhinos, cheetahs and chimpanzees.

Zoos South Australia chief executive Elaine Bensted said the ability for guests to stay within the park had been a goal for many years,