Former Couran Cove Island Resort staff reveal what it was like working there

Multiple former staff of an embattled Gold Coast island resort have raised serious allegations ranging from unpaid super, missing wages and 110 hour work weeks.

Multiple former staff of an embattled Gold Coast island resort allege they are owed unpaid super, missing wages and - in one case - did a 110-hour work week during their employment.

One former Couran Cove Island Resort manager claimed they witnessed drug use among certain staff and were owed $15,000 in unpaid wages during the time they worked on South Stradbroke Island.

The former manager, who asked not to be named for legal reasons, said they quit their job after less than a year due to unpaid wages and superannuation.

“I shared a house with 15 people at one stage. (Working there) really started to break me in the end because I was so exhausted.

“I was working 110 hours a week.”

Former Couran Cove staff have revealed what it was like working at the island resort. Picture: generic.

They also noted drug use occurred among certain staff on the island.

The former manager said they were employed by a company called South Stradbroke Operations and reported directly to Simon Napoli.

Mr Napoli said the company had a zero tolerance to drugs policy and urged the former staffer to report it to management so it could be passed on to police.

“At no time did any staff member alert senior management of this serious allegation,” Mr Napoli said.

He said the allegation of a staffer working 110 hours per week was “false”.

“There are no records of staff working 110 hours per week,” he said.

Mr Napoli said staff paid for their own rented accommodation and were required to detail

who was living in each house.

“At no time were we made aware of any staff who had more than two people in a house,” he said.

A sign at the entrance to Couran Cove. Picture: Tertius Pickard

The former manager said they tried to recover their missing wages.

“I was going through Fair Work (to recover them), but because there is a liquidation in place, it has now gone to the liquidators and Fair Work have stepped away completely,” they said.

South Stradbroke Operations went into liquidation on May 23 with debts of $1.8m.

It has been solely directed by Craig Horwitz since May 2022.

It was previously directed by Mr Napoli.

Its shares are held by the company Couran Cove Group, which is directed by Mr Napoli.

Shares in Couran Cove Group are held by another company, SMN Holdings, of which Mr Napoli is sole shareholder.

Mr Horwitz was contacted for comment, but did not respond by deadline.

South Stradbroke Operations liquidator Andrew Weatherly’s report said more than $300,000 was owed to the tax office and another $280,000 was owed to staff by South Stradbroke Operations.

Mr Napoli said there were unpaid wages but claimed this was because body corporate committees on the island had not paid their bills.

“If the body corporate committees had paid their bills, then the company would still be operational, and the staff would still be employed,” he said.

The now-closed Couran Cove marina. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Gold Coast woman Jasmine Brannolte said she worked as a food and beverage supervisor at the resort for South Stradbroke F&B from January to July last year.

“My experience working there was honestly absolutely shocking,” she said.

“All of my annual leave didn’t get paid. I didn’t get paid any of my (superannuation) the whole time I was working there and also two weeks worth of wages.”

Ms Brannolte claimed she was owed $5000 in unpaid wages and superannuation.

The former employee said she and about 20 other staff lost their jobs when the company she was employed by - South Stradbroke F&B - went into liquidation on July 11.

“It was really traumatising to be quite honest,” Ms Brannolte said.

“Everyone that I worked with on that island went through it as well.”

South Stradbroke F&B director William Doolen was contacted for comment, but did not respond by deadline.

The empty Couran Cove beach bar area. Picture: Tertius Pickard

According to liquidator Bill Karageozis’ report, the company owed more than $24,000 in outstanding employee entitlements when it collapsed.

Mr Karageozis did not expect it would be able to meet any of the debts.

Steven O’Connor said he was employed by South Stradbroke F&B as the resort’s food and beverage manager for about 18 months during 2020 and 2021.

He described his time working on the island as “an absolute nightmare”.

“For me to get alcohol on the island, we were going over on the boat (to the mainland), going to a bottle shop, bringing the alcohol back to the boat and taking it back over to the island just to get by,” Mr O’Connor said.

“Normally, in a club, you can use (suppliers) to get your orders in.

“But no one would give us any credit because they knew (the company) wouldn’t pay it.”

The former manager said he was sometimes paid late but was not owed any outstanding wages.

“It was always a mission trying to get the other staff members paid,” Mr O’Connor said.