Chris Morris to develop luxury resort in outback Queensland

Computershare co-founder Chris Morris is targeting cashed-up foreigners for a $1000-a-night resort in far north Queensland.

Computershare co-founder Chris Morris has relinquished executive duties to become non-executive chairman, pictured at the Bo...

Computershare co-founder Chris Morris is targeting cashed-up foreigners for a $1000-a-night luxury resort he is developing at the remote Mount Mulligan station in far north Queensland, as part of his plan to dominate the Sunshine state’s upmarket leisure tourism sector.

Fresh from upgrading the luxurious Orpheus Island off Townsville, Mr Morris revealed his plans to spend $35 million developing another resort — this time in outback Queensland.

He bought 29,000ha at Mount Mulligan last November at a mortgagee auction for $1.5m and plans to build a 16-suite lodge similar to the high-end operations dominating New Zealand’s rural landscapes. He expects 60 per cent of his guests, such as those who visit Orpheus Island, will be wealthy foreigners.

“Mount Mulligan is five times ­bigger than Ayers Rock. The local indigenous people are very spiritual, it is full of history,” he told The Australian.

“We have bought the title to the remains of the Mount Mulligan township, all the streets are still marked,” said Mr Morris, adding that he had ambitious plans to open the resort by next June even though he was yet to apply for planning approval.

“It will be really upmarket ­accommodation but different from Orpheus. There is nothing I have seen quite like it, it’s a place you would fall in love with. It is a very unique spot.”

Mr Morris bought the Daintree Eco Lodge late last year to add to the 16-suite Orpheus Island he purchased in 2011 for $6.25m. In January 2014, he paid Echo Entertainment $70m for the Townsville Casino through his Colonial Leisure Group. That deal, however, still requires regulatory approval.

Mr Morris is eager to offer ­inbound tourists a reef (Orpheus Island), rainforest (Daintree Eco Lodge) and outback (Mount Mulligan Lodge) adventure.

“Rainforest and outback, that’s what they want to see in Australia. The overseas tourist is really time poor. Doing it with all the one company is easy, particularly with transport,” Mr Morris said.

The businessman, who is worth an estimated $700m, also owns Nautilus Aviation in Cairns and Townsville which, he says, will be handy for guests given Mount Mulligan Lodge will be 20 minutes by helicopter from Cairns or 3.5 hours drive.

Apart from running as a luxury tourist resort, Mr Morris plans to operate Mount Mulligan as a working cattle station. Lodge guests will be offered luxury overnight stays in tents and the opportunity to pan for gold.

“There is history everywhere, a lot of gold is still there,” he said.

He believes that like Orpheus Island, which takes about 30 guests, Mount Mulligan should be run as a small-scale boutique resort. “Sixteen accommodation units is about right, the beauty of ­Orpheus Island is people have dinner together so they get to meet other guests,” he said.