South Molle's damaged jetty restricts access to island, with abandoned resort's future unclear
The old South Molle Island resort is nestled in Bauer Bay. (Supplied: Donna Lumley)
In short:
Recent damage from Cyclone Koji has restricted public access to privately owned South Molle Island.
Nearly a decade since its destruction, the island's resort remains abandoned.
What's next?
It will take at least a year for the damaged jetty to be repaired.
While the future may be brightening for some of the once-beloved resorts on Whitsunday's cyclone-ravaged islands, it remains uncertain for others.
Developers are planning new resorts on Lindeman and Hook islands by 2027, and Hamilton Island was recently bought by multinational Blackstone.
However, for South Molle Island, it is a vastly different story.
The island's resort has been abandoned since 2017, when it was devastated by category four Cyclone Debbie.
Now, public access to the island has been restricted after Cyclone Koji damaged the privately owned jetty last month.
Cyclone Koji damaged the end of the South Molle jetty, with part of the pontoon sinking to the sea floor. (Supplied: Donna Lumley)
It is the latest in a string of setbacks for South Molle Island.
In 2023, owner China Capital Investment Group (CCIG) listed the island for sale and has since flagged with the state government that it is unable to complete a rebuild of the resort.
CCIG also owns the nearby Daydream Island.
Public access restricted
Visitors and locals have continued to access the island for its picturesque trails and campsites, but the damage to the jetty — which cost $10 million to build in 2020 — now limits beach landings to high tide because of the island's reef conditions.
Dylan Ford has been running his mountain biking and hiking operation on the island for the past five years and says the loss of the jetty has halved his capacity.
Dylan Ford says South Molle is a "forgotten-about gem of the Whitsundays". (Supplied: Dylan Ford)
"It's one of the main public access points to all the national park's trails on the island," Mr Ford said.
"Without that pontoon, you actually can't pull up any substantial boat."
He said the loss of public access would be felt by the wider community.
"Everyone sort of had a little bit of a soft spot for the jetty … they'd pull up there on the way out to go fishing and sort of just hang out there," he said.
A spokesperson for CCIG said it was working through an insurance process to replace the jetty in the next 12 months.
The spokesperson also indicated that the owners were aware of their responsibility to maintain the resort site, and of the public interest in South Molle's future.
Council invested in island's future
The prospect of a new resort on South Molle depends on the current owners planning a new development or a buyer willing to purchase the island — for a reported $30 million — and then undertake the works.
The jetty is essential to any future works.
Ry Collins says he would love to see locals engaging with the islands. (Supplied: Whitsunday Regional Council)
South Molle's proximity to the mainland makes it of particular interest to the local community.
"South Molle is one of the most recognisable islands in our island chain," Whitsunday Mayor Ry Collins said.
He said he had raised the island's future with Minister for Resources and local member for Burdekin, Dale Last.
"The discussion there with Minister Last is really just to highlight what I feel, and what the region feels, is a significant opportunity," Cr Collins said.
"We'd love to see the redevelopment of that resort area prioritised by the state government."
The Department of Natural Resources said it had been working with CCIG in alignment with the government's long-term strategy for the Great Barrier Reef islands.
"The department continues to regularly meet with the lessee to facilitate its intentions for the future of South Molle Island," a spokesperson said.
Progress visible elsewhere
Cr Collins said there had been "significant progress" elsewhere in the past year with regard to rejuvenating abandoned island resorts.
Construction of a new eco-resort on Hook Island is set to begin in May after completion of a $2.4 million state-supported jetty.
While damage from Cyclone Koji has delayed works at Lindeman Island, developers say they remain on track to open next year.
Damaged cabins at South Molle Island resort in April 2018. (ABC News: Josh Bavas)
Rejuvenation of the Great Barrier Reef islands is a key priority of the Queensland government, which has been pushing owners to act.
With most islands held in a perpetual lease agreement, the government has the power to intervene if a lessee is in breach of their lease agreement, which often includes the requirement to run a functioning tourism destination.
The powers were enacted in the case of Double Island off the coast of Cairns.
For Mr Ford, the prospect of a resort returning to South Molle Island has been bittersweet.
He said a redevelopment could dramatically change the island's appeal.
"We ride around on these beautiful tracks and it's kind of like we have them all to ourselves because there's usually not one other person on the island," he said.
"There's definitely some environmental positives about it not being active but, at the same time, it'd be nice to have another big, beautiful resort there eventually."