Cannon-Brookes’ resort plans for their Dunk Island dream

The billionaire tech owners of Queensland’s Dunk Island are planning a major reboot of the dilapidated resort.

Jetty at Dunk Island. Picture: Tourism Tropical North Queensland.

The billionaire tech owners of Queensland’s Dunk Island are planning a major reboot of the dilapidated resort and are expected to abandon its airstrip in favour of ferrying guests in by helicopter and boat, as part of preliminary plans which also include a major upgrade of its marine infrastructure.

Annie Cannon-Brookes, the wife of Atlassian chief executive Mike Cannon-Brookes, purchased the island off Mission Beach in Far North Queensland for $23.6m in July and has hired Sydney architects to draw up concept plans, while a local builder is presently inspecting the island’s infrastructure to see what can be salvaged.

The island was destroyed by Cyclone Yasi in early 2011 and has been held by successive owners including miner Peter Bond and investment spruiker James Mawhinney.

The island is expected to reopen to guests with a full complement of resort accommodation facilities and food and beverage outlets however a development application is yet to be lodged with the local Cassowary Council.

“It’s certainly not going to be landlocked. The intent is to open it to the public, which is encouraging to the locals that was the indication given by the Cassowary Council chief executive Andrew Graffin at the Mission Beach Commercial Association Meeting on October 4,” said one local.

In an interview late on Friday Mr Graffin said the focus of the Cannon-Brookes Collective, as the couple’s private investment company is known, was to see the region around two hours south of Cairns prosper.

“Council sees Dunk Island as the heart and core of our tourism industry. Council is keen to see Dunk Island activated and see it as a key attraction,” Mr Graffin said.

Mr Graffin said preliminary discussions with the Cannon-Brookes Collective had been around developing an infrastructure agreement.

“There are a number of suggestions around what will happen to the island,” he said.

“We are negotiating an infrastructure agreement with the Cannon-Brookes Collective to activate the Dunk Island Spit (which is available to campers). They are progressing concepts.

“We are not in a pre-lodgement or development application at this point. Council is communicating with them to develop an infrastructure agreement for water, power and sewerage.

“The priority is to get that infrastructure agreement in place to activate the Dunk Island Spit.”

Atlassian declined to comment.

Additional reporting: Ben Wilmot

Mike and Annie Cannon-Brookes. Picture: James Croucher

Originally published as Cannon-Brookes’ resort plans for their Dunk Island dream