Abandoned island paradise left to rot after drug overdoses, fraud charges
It was once one of the hottest venues to let your hair down, but this abandoned resort on South Stradbroke Island has been left to fall into ruin in the aftermath of vandalism, drug overdoses and fraud charges. SEE THE VIDEO
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Shocking videos have revealed how a prominent island party paradise fell to rack and ruin.
McLarens Landing on South Stradbroke Island, just off the Gold Coast, was once a Schoolies and corporate party hot spot, but had been left to fall apart after a sordid turn in events.
Local boatie Chris Porep frequently visited the venue in its heyday but said a recent visit to the now closed bar was ”devastating”.
Full bottles of wine laid strewn across the ground, while bar equipment has been left untouched for months in the dilapidated resort.
“It’s like a ghost town,” Mr Porep said.
“It was one of my favourite spots … you’d feel like you were somewhere else in the world.
“This place used to be paradise.
“It’s such a shame, it’s such a good spot and has so much potential.
“They’ve just up and left.”
He said vandals had “trashed” the facilities.
“It’s devastating what’s happened to it,” Mr Porep said.
For years the venue was a hub for both booming parties and laid back drinks for boaties but its charm was depleted in recent times.
The venue was the site of a dance party in 2015 where six people overdosed on what police described as “near fatal” doses of liquid fantasy.
Former director Jason Allan Nicholls was last November committed to stand trial for allegedly using thousands of dollars from Christmas party deposits to fund a gambling habit or to give to his partner.
The leasehold to the resort came on the market that same month after receivers were appointed.
However the venue stands to be rescued after new owners Pandana Capital came onboard to take over the McLarens Landing leasehold in May this year.
The company’s investors are linked to successful hospitality operations in Melbourne, Sydney, Northern NSW, Gold Coast and Bali, either by direct ownership, operational capacity or investment.
A spokesperson for the group said the McLarens Landing project was currently in the initial planning phase for what would be a new tourism enterprise for the key destination.
“We hope to work closely with council and the State Government to deliver magnificent new tourism infrastructure to SEQ,” they said.
They said the video however was obtained illegally, “without the permission of the lease holder and involves trespassing on a clearly marked ‘no public access’ site”.
“McLaren’s Landing has been derelict state since 2018, it is closed to the public and was in an unsafe, hazardous state long before 2018,” they said.
They said a certified site, safety and security assessment had been conducted, identified a myriad issues.
“Pandana Capital is working through the identified issues and is seeking the necessary approvals to address these issues.
“The company is working collaboratively with relevant stakeholders at council and rural fire to elevate the interim safety of the site.”
Pandana Capital was formed in early 2019 with the goal of acquiring Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy leases on the Northern end of Tipplers Passage, South Stradbroke Island.
Those leases were formerly known as McLaren’s Landing and An Island Hideaway.
“Pandana Capital is an Australian company, owned by a group of investors with considerable expertise in hospitality, tourism, marketing, corporate finance, and property development. “Investors have the shared goal of materialising approvals and consents to enable activation of the companies concept and vision, followed by operations.”