Little Green Island back in Australian hands after $5.6 million sale to Mackay family
Little Green Island is off the coast of Mackay. (Supplied: Harcourts MackTown)
In short:
Little Green Island has been sold at auction to a North Queensland family for $5.6 million.
The sale of the freehold island, which was owned by producer and actor Douglas Gresham, attracted buyers in person and online.
What happen's next:
The sale of other assets including a catamaran yacht and an amphibious motorboat are being negotiated.
A tropical island in North Queensland that inspired the Chronicles of Narnia movie franchise is back in local hands after 15 years of foreign ownership.
Little Green Island, a seven-minute boat ride from Mackay's northern beaches, sold at auction for $5.6 million today.
The island has been owned by British-American movie producer and actor Douglas Gresham, who purchased it for $2.45 million 15 years ago.
Its new owners, a Mackay family who asked not to be named, secured the island after a two-way tussle with another bidder, also from the Mackay region.
Bidding started at $2 million for the 24.4-hectare island, which has a house and a caretaker's cottage, both set in a rainforest with a freshwater lagoon.
Mackay's Little Green Island was auctioned at Shoal Point Park, with potential buyers bidding in person, online and on the phone. (ABC Topical North: Danielle Jesser)
The beachside auction with the island in the background lasted about 15 minutes with six others bidding by phone from interstate and internationally.
The director of real estate agency Harcourts MackTown, Tina Sander, said the sale of a private island with freehold title was a rare offering in Queensland.
Ms Sander said Mr Gresham and his family watched the auction live from Malta.
Mr Gresham is the stepson of C.S. Lewis, the author of the Chronicles of Narnia.
"It's the island that was the creative inspiration for the Chronicles of Narnia movies,"Ms Sander said.
A family escape
Mr Gresham was not available for comment, but his real estate agent said he was now in the "later stages of life and his family are winding down all of his assets".
"Douglas now lives in Malta and he can no longer travel internationally and they've never, ever holiday let the island," Ms Sander said.
"He bought the island so he and his family could come on holiday whenever they wanted and holiday in confidentiality.
"It's always just been for personal family use only.
"The family just feel it's time to pass on the island to a new family or to a new owner."
Little Green Island comes with a swimming pool and deck overlooking the Coral Sea. (Supplied: Harcourts MackTown)
One-time home of Edward de Bono
The island's earlier claim to fame was as the sometimes home of creative guru Edward de Bono.
The Maltese physician and commentator who invented the term "lateral thinking" hosted "corporate think tanks" on the island.
The main house has two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and was designed by renowned architect and Australian Architecture Association president Tone Wheeler in 1995.
The two-bedroom house is a modern take on a Queenslander-style home. (Supplied: Harcourts MackTown)
"The main house is a modern interpretation of a Queenslander-style home, with a pool and deck overlooking the Coral Sea,"Ms Sander said.
A second house on the island was designed to be a caretaker's residence.
A once-in-a-career opportunity
Ms Sander said she was contacted by the owners "out of the blue" six months ago.
"I haven't sold an island before," she said.
"I think it'll be a once-in-a-career, lifetime opportunity."
Ms Sander said she had around 300 inquiries about the island before it went to auction.
Some inquiries came from overseas, but she said the most genuine interest was from Queenslanders and Victorians.
Bids for Little Green Island were registered from people in person, online and on phones. (ABC Topical North: Danielle Jesser)
"All different age brackets, different demographics, different careers [made enquiries]", she said.
"Some people wanted to use it for holiday letting, others were wanting to use it for family.
"Some people just want a great place to go and holiday in private and not have streams of other people."
The sale of other assets including a catamaran yacht and an amphibious motorboat are being negotiated.