Who owns Hamilton Island, Magnums, Coral Sea Marina and other Whitsunday big businesses
Self-made millionaires, power couples and family legacies are among the biggest names in Whitsunday’s business world. See the full list.
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From self-made millionaires to power couples and family legacies – meet the who’s who of big business ownership in the Whitsundays.
Hamilton Island
Owner: Sandy Oatley and family
The rich-listed family’s wealth originates in the Rosemount Estate winery the late patriarch Bob Oatley founded in 1969 and sold to Treasury Wine Estates for $1.4 billion in 2001.
Bob, who passed away in 2016, bought Hamilton Island for $200 million in 2003 and the family, including Hamilton Island Enterprises Chairman Sandy Oatley, have since reportedly spent about $500 million to make it into a world-class luxury resort attracting the likes of Oprah Winfrey and winning Conde Nast Traveller’s Best Resort in the World title, as well as rejuvenating the annual Hamilton Island Race Week yachting event.
Coral Sea Marina Resort
Owner: Paul Darrouzet
The entrepreneur and superyacht enthusiast made his fortune as former chair and co-founder of the Bowen Basin’s Foxleigh JV metallurgic coal mine, which sold a majority stake to Anglo American Coal in 2007 for US$620 million.
Mr Darrouzet bought what was then known as Abell Point Marina in 2013 and set about implementing his vision of a world-class destination marina at the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and Whitsunday islands.
He bought the adjoining Coral Sea Resort and rebranded the waterfront precinct Coral Sea Marina Resort in 2018.
Mr Darrouzet’s investment portfolio includes commercial, industrial and residential assets, and he is chairman of healthcare diagnostics company Ellume.
Port of Airlie
Owner: Russell McCart
Former professional yacht racer Mr McCart has developed 2000 apartments, marinas and retirement villages since starting his company Meridien, now known as Pacifica, in 1997, and created and sold 10,000 bed student accommodation business Unilodge in 2013.
Mr McCart announced plans for a $750 million Port of Airlie development incorporating more than 350 units plus a resort, transport terminals, marina berths and residential precincts in the early 2000s.
The project was forced into receivership in 2011 after Meridien had already spent about $200 million.
Airlie Beach Hotel
Owner: Mick McFie
Son of noted Queensland businessman Randall McFie, Mick built his wealth buying and selling hospitality businesses across Australia.
He has previously been involved with venues including Melba’s on the Park nightclub on the Gold Coast, Taylors Hotel and Clarion Hotel in Mackay, Agnes Water Tavern, Mercure Port Douglas Treetops Resort, and Tasmania‘s Cradle Mountain Lodge.
His and wife Bonnie’s company Raging Bull Holdings bought the Airlie Beach Hotel for about $22 million in 2019, about 10 months after securing the leasehold interest.
The couple also own Cannonvale’s Reef Gateway Hotel, which is leased to pub giant Australian Venue Company.
The McFie’s are currently locked in a legal battle with Sentinel Property Group which is trying to acquire the Airlie Beach Hotel after a proposed $41.5 million sale in late 2020 turned sour.
McDonald’s Airlie Beach, Bowen and Cannonvale
Owner: Michael Muller
The former Proserpine cane farmer and clothing store owner jumped at the chance to open the Whitsundays’ first McDonald’s store in Airlie Beach when the opportunity arose in the late 1990s.
Mr Muller expressed interest in running a local franchise in the early 90s but it was not until he saw an advertisement in the Whitsunday Times for a McDonald’s operator in Airlie Beach that his vision became reality.
Two years after putting his hand up for the role and undergoing an intensive interviewing process, Mr Muller opened the Airlie Beach McDonald‘s with a core menu of just five burgers.
He has since hired more than 1000 crew members from the Whitsunday community, trained and developed more than 70 managers and helped more than 60 employees complete nationally recognised traineeships.
He oversaw the opening of new stores at Bowen in 2009 and Cannonvale in 2010 and is an investor in a fourth store in Moranbah.
Magnums Airlie Beach
Owner: Elizabeth Hackett
Ms Hackett is a hands-on tourism industry professional with more than 30 years experience in management, marketing and operations.
As executive chair of NSX-listed company Australian Adventure Tourism Group, formerly Jimmy Crow Limited, Ms Hackett has helped establish Magnums as Whitsunday’s leading mainland backpacker facility.
Suffering during the Covid-19 pandemic’s travel bans, the company is now shifting focus away from the international backpacker market and towards emerging market interests in tourism including in adventure and experience tourism as well as education tourism.
Under Ms Hackett’s leadership, it has also advocated for government funding for the Whitsunday Skyway Project.
Boom Nightclub and Pacific Coast Scaffold
Owner: Luke Anderson
The Airlie Beach entrepreneur started his first successful business, LA Entertainment, at age 16 and has not looked back since, working his way up to buy the nightclub he once was a DJ at.
His website states he launched more than 40 businesses before hitting the age of 30 – some which failed and others, such as his entertainment and scaffolding businesses, which have gone from strength to strength.
He recently built and sold a mountaintop Whitsunday mansion for $3.85 million.
Whitsunday Transit
Owner: Colin Crossley and family
Sydney bus proprietor Colin Crossley created the company in 1998 after he bought Sampsons Buses from founder George Sampson and the Proserpine-based company Dalys Bus Service.
Now retired, Mr Crossley’s two children take care of the business, which transports up to 1900 schoolchildren per day as well as offering commuter services.
Water’s Edge Resort, Waterfront Whitsunday Retreat, Marina Shores
Owner: Jeff Aquilina
The former Whitsundays Marketing and Development Limited executive director and Tourism Strategic Advisory Group chairman is managing director of a hotel group, which has more than $120 million in assets in Airlie Beach including Marina Shores, Whitsunday Vista Holiday Apartments, Boathaven Bay Holiday Apartments, Water’s Edge Resort, Waterfront Whitsunday Retreat, and Blue Horizon Resort.
His parents John and Regina Aquilina are the resident managers and owners of Whitsunday Vista Holiday Apartments.
Red Cat Adventures
Owners: Asher and Julie Telford
Boat skipper Asher and UK backpacker Julie began their tourism industry journey in 2011 when they became the proud owners of the mighty Tongarra Sailing vessel.
They launched day trips to the Whitsunday islands on the custom-built Thundercat catamaran in 2015 and have since added to their fleet to keep up with demand.
In 2021, they announced the expansion of the business with a new specialised 17m catamaran taking passengers from Mackay Marina to tour Cockermouth, Brampton, Keswick, St Bees and Scawfell Islands.
Whitsunday Funerals and Crematorium
Owner: Jeff and Judy Boyle
The Boyles launched their first successful business Funeral Transfer Services Australia in 1998, after Jeff was introduced to the industry with an opportunity to help a friend transport a deceased person for a funeral company.
The couple bought Whitsunday Funerals and Crematorium in 2010 and now operate funeral homes in Bowen, Proserpine and Mackay.
They recently made headlines launching the new environmentally-friendly ‘Gentle Way’ service as an alternative to burials or cremations.
Filby’s Motors
Owner: Robert Filby and family
Proserpine cane farmer Robert ‘Bob’ Filby Snr launched the Toyota dealership in 1964 and children Robert, Judy, Karen and Brian all joined the business as they grew older.
The family opened a Bowen outlet in 1997 and more recently demolished and rebuilt its Proserpine showroom.
“I was seven when my parents started Filby’s Motors, and since then it has simply been a way of life for my parents, myself and my brothers and sisters,” dealer principal Robert Filby said on accepting a Toyota Longevity Award in 2020.
“Now, the third generation – my daughters and nephew – are running, and working in, the business, and servicing the Whitsundays.”
BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort
Owner: Greg McKinnon and family
The McKinnons have won countless awards for their tireless efforts over more than 25 years to transform a half-star property to a 4.5 star industry-leading family destination.
Set among 10 hectares of landscaped tropical gardens, the highly-popular water slide park is a major feature of the resort.
The family puts its success down to “hard work, passion, great teamwork and a daily focus on creating a special tourism experience”.
Ray White Whitsunday
Owner: Mark Beale
Mark and his wife Belinda bought Ray White Whitsunday in 2006 and have grown the business tremendously in both sales and property management.
The Cannonvale office employs more than 40 staff specialising in residential sales and leasing, commercial sales and leasing, special projects, marine and holiday letting.
Ocean Rafting
Owner: Peter and Jan Claxton
The Claxtons bought the tour company in 2001 and have since increased their fleet to eight vessels.
Special permits allow the vessels to visit protected areas of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and offer a unique experience, including access to Hill Inlet, one of the Whitsundays’ most famous icons.
PD Law Cannonvale, Proserpine, and Bowen
Owner: Melinda Cox
Mirani High School graduate Melinda Cox co-founded PD Law in 2003 and it has since grown into a major regional business competing for a wide range of legal and related services across Queensland and in particular the Whitsunday region.
The business has offices in Cannonvale, Proserpine, Bowen and Brisbane.
Northerlies Beach Bar and Grill and Freedom Shores Resort
Owner:Jon and Kim Moon
The Moons opened bar/restaurant Northerlies at Woodwark in 2018, aiming to create a destination without “harsh gaming, bright lights or jarring sounds” but highlighting the stunning bay views and natural surrounds.
The adjoining nautical-themed Freedom Shores Resort was the vision of Jon’s brother Tim, who won council approval in 2014, then passed away in 2015.
The Woodwork property, once earmarked for a 100-house development, has since become renowned as a must visit spot for live music, as well as the home of palm trees used in the filming of Pirates of the Caribbean.
Out of town owned
Malaysian conglomerate Mulpha owns Hayman Island
China Capital Investment Group owns Daydream Island
Sydney-based Oscars Hotel Group own Long Island
China’s Fullshare Group owns Mirage Whitsundays
Singapore‘s Well Smart Investment Holdings owns Club Crocodile Resort
South Australia-based Journey Beyond owns Cruise Whitsundays
Melbourne-based Sanctuary Living owns Whitsunday Green
Tasmania-based Tassal Group owns Gregory River Prawn Farm
Melbourne-based ALH Group owns Queens Beach Hotel
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