Secluded St Bees island for sale in Queensland - koalas included

The current owners are selling the remainder of their 20-year lease, which began in 2009, citing the desire to get back to the mainland in their older years.

“The property was in a distressed state when they bought it. They’ve done it up and they’re of the view that now is a good time to sell, although they’re not in any particular rush,” listing agent Keir Kreis, of LJ Hooker Brisbane, said.

You can sit and watch the passing boats from the beach at St Bees. Photo: Supplied

Those include two houses – a “north” house and “south” house – as well as several outbuildings. In one iteration the island was used as hostel-style accommodation with capacity for 40 guests, but the current owners have worked to consolidate the offerings, transforming them into higher quality accommodation in the process.

But Mr Kreis believes the island is still heavily under-utilised – leaving room for a buyer willing to explore the possibilities of what is essentially a blank canvas.

There’s development approval in place from the Whitsundays Regional Council for tourist development, giving a new owner to expand on the existing accommodation offerings.

St Bees Island off the coast of Queensland. Photo: neilsisland, Google 

“You could build cabins, for example,” Mr Kreis said. “The necessary approvals are in place from the Whitsundays Regional Council.”

It’s two hours away from Mackay by barge, giving you plenty of time to spot the humpback whales, and around 1.5 hours in something speedier – meaning you don’t get the same drop-in island visitors experienced closer to shore.

That means the island also has incredible appeal as a private retreat.

“If someone has serious cash they can build luxury bay-front property,” Mr Kreis said. “It’s very private, very secluded – people don’t come onshore.”

In fact, your only neighbours might be of the furry kind.

At 4.5 hectares, the leasehold section of St Bees makes up just a small proportion of the 1100-hectare island. The rest is national park – and one of the last remaining habitats for a koala population free of chlamydia.

For this reason researchers often visit the island to study the koalas, which can often be seen clambering across the beach at low tide.

The current owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, agrees that little else can match St Bees for solitude.

“Life is so peaceful on St Bees Island, there are no noisy inquisitive neighbours, no noisy dogs, no traffic, no roads – so our koalas are safe,” the owner said. “You are as free as a bird on St Bees Island.”

The island has several accommodation buildings. Photo: Supplied

Most of the current furniture will remain – good news for a prospective owner-occupier, because moving large items on and off the island involves use of the barge and a tractor.

The leasehold fee works out at around $5000 a year, although the cost of purchase is significantly more.

The lease ends in 2029 and while the new owner would not need to pay for an extension of the lease, the rent would be subject to a market review, Mr Kreis said.

Before the lease expires, the Department of Natural Resources would write to the owner asking if they want to extend. Assuming the rent has been paid, the extension would be offered.

It’s an expressions-of-interest campaign, but Mr Kreis is looking for offers of “$2 million or above”.

Hardly a small sum, but a drop in the ocean when compared to some of the other prices Queensland islands fetch.

South Molle Island a leasehold site in the Whitsundays with widescale development opportunity sold in August for a reported $25 million to a Chinese group.