Inside billionaire Annie Cannon-Brookes’ revamp of trashed island
Billionaire Annie Cannon-Brookes has gone deeper into plans to revitalise her trashed Aus island, with a further 19 hectares of beachfront now in the mix.
Billionaire Annie Cannon-Brookes has bought two more tropical properties since splitting with husband Mike, as she reveals the ‘big task’ of turning around her trashed Aussie island.
Ms Cannon-Brookes – one of the most prominent owners of a string of Australian islands that have been trashed and left to decay after being hit by cyclones and other tragedies – has thrown millions more at the region by snapping up two more properties on the mainland.
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She is four-deep into the Cassowary Coast, buying a $1.1m three bedroom beach house with views of Dunk Island in the months after her separation from her $29bn net worth husband, and then adding a massive 19.18ha spot with a sprawling beachfront last year for $4.5m.
The second site contains another three bedroom house, with no publicly accessible plans available as yet for how Ms Cannon-Brookes sees those purchases tying in with each other.
She said “our goal is to be good custodians of the island, and we are pleased to be making progress”.
Ms Cannon-Brookes, whose net worth is estimated at circa $12b, bought the 132hectare freehold site on Dunk Island three years ago for $23.65m, at the same time as another 15ha beachfront segment that slotted into it for $3.85m.
The purchases were just months before she and husband tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes separated in 2023, with the richlister then also signing a 30-year lease with the Cassowary Coast Regional Council for the public access area at Dunk Island Spit. It’s that public access area which is the first she has revealed and reopened for the public just last week in stage 1 of her plan to bring the island back to life.
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She has opened a new beachfront restaurant on Dunk Island for public access at the Spit, celebrated by visitors and locals alike.
Ms Cannon-Brookes said “we are working hard to create a family-friendly destination that underpins the local tourism sector, preserves the natural environment and celebrates the island’s cultural significance”.
“It’s a big task and wouldn’t be possible without the tremendous support we’ve received from the local community.”
The restaurant opening is phase one of a broader redevelopment plan she has for the island, with consultation underway for the rest of the mammoth task, including necessary rehabilitation work around the devastation caused by Cyclone Yasi 14 years ago in 2011.
Her Dunk Island Spit general manager, Jason Blackburn said “revitalising a cyclone-devastated island in such a delicate ecosystem is no small undertaking, but milestones like this remind us why it’s all worthwhile”.
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He said “it’s been fantastic to see families, campers and day-trippers embracing the new dining experience and the feedback so far has been excellent.”
“For locals and visitors who haven’t made the trip, we encourage you to come and enjoy our relaxed island hospitality and create some special memories.”
“Importantly, this is just the beginning of broader revitalisation plans. Our priority has been restoring The Spit so locals and visitors alike can enjoy it safely and sustainably, while we continue to work through plans for other sections of the island.”
The council has heralded the restaurant opening as a significant first step in the revitalisation of Dunk Island.
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Cassowary Coast Mayor Teresa Millwood is pleased to see progress on the island itself, labelling it a positive outcome for the region.
“Dunk Island is a treasured part of our coastal identity, and it’s wonderful to see this first stage come to life,” she said.
“Council is proud to have partnered with Dunk Island Group to activate The Spit, and we look forward to continuing to work together to preserve and celebrate this beautiful island for future generations.”
Cassowary Coast Tourism’s Patrick Bluett was thrilled, saying “it’s wonderful to see this iconic location being revitalised in such a considered way”.
“The collaboration with Dunk Island Group has been great and the quality of the restaurant as well as the public campgrounds and amenities is excellent,” he said.
“We look forward to further product development on the island that will only enhance the visitor experience.”
The Dunk Island Spit restaurant currently operates Thursday to Sunday, from 11am to 4pm.
Originally published as Inside billionaire Annie Cannon-Brookes’ revamp of trashed island