A Tropical Private Island Atop the Great Barrier Reef Sold at Auction for a Steal

An idyllic private island off the coast of Australia has sold at auction for A$2.51 million (US$1.5 million) after a lengthy bidding war among parties eager to bag the rarely offered property. 

Set in the crystal-clear waters of the Coral Sea, Victor Island is one of very few privately owned islands located at the southern end of the Whitsundays, according to property firm Ray White, which handled the sale. 

A chain of 74 islands, the Whitsundays are within the heart of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which protects a large part of the Great Barrier Reef, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and a Unesco World Heritage site. 

The auction for the paradisiacal 7.7-acre isle, which was held earlier this month, saw 15 registered bidders and a bidding war that came down to three parties battling it out for 20 minutes, the firm said. 

The winning bid came from a Queensland family, who “will use it for family holidays, whether that be weekends or lengthier stays,” Andrew Bell, group chairman of Ray White Surfers Paradise, said in a statement.

Mansion Global couldn’t identify the island’s new owner. 

Situated about a mile off the eastern Australian seaboard, Victor Island is a 20-minute boat ride from the Queensland mainland, or a 10-minute helicopter ride from the nearest airport, offering the new residents an unspoilt and secluded luxury island lifestyle. 

Eco-friendly and predominately self-sufficient, the island boasts a newly renovated, 3,767-square-foot main house with four bedrooms and two bathrooms; a separate caretaker’s cottage; a helipad; a solar farm with a backup generator; rainwater storage; and an extended coral reef provides a natural marina to moor vessels both large and small, according to the listing. 

There are also walking tracks, sandy beaches, some rocky coastline, as well as showstopping ocean views.