Guests will sleep in tents or tree houses
Sat "Daily Telegraph"
Island for Virgin staff
17may03
VIRGIN boss Sir Richard Branson likes his Australian staff so much he's bought them their own island.
The 10ha Queensland hideaway five minutes from Noosa will be redeveloped as a holiday destination for the exclusive use of Virgin employees.
Sir Richard, whose personal fortune is estimated to be more than $3 billion, kicked in the $5 million or so to buy Makepeace Island as a personal thank you to staff.
While other airlines struggled to stay solvent last year, Virgin tripled its profits, making $110 million.
The island will be redeveloped as an "eco-friendly" resort, with plans to retain the 1911 Queenslander house for entertainment and meals.
Guests will sleep in tents or tree houses.
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Sat "The Courier Mail"
River prize now a Virgin island
17may03
NOOSA'S only privately owned island has been bought by flamboyant Virgin Group chief Richard Branson for redevelopment as a staff retreat.
The 9.2ha Makepeace Island, in a broad stretch of the Noosa River, just upstream from Tewantin on the Sunshine Coast, does not have bridge access.
Sir Richard is believed to have bought the island from his own Virgin Blue Australian boss Brett Godfrey within the past week, with Mr Godfrey reportedly buying it from long-term owners, Brian and Beverley Spencer about six months ago.
When they originally listed the island for sale in 1997, the Spencers were seeking "offers in excess of $3 million".
Mr Spencer, an internationally recognised artist, and his wife had been living there since 1980.
A spokeswoman for Sir Richard said he would not reveal his actual purchase price, only that his total investment in Makepeace, including development, would be $5 million.
The existing Queenslander house would be for shared entertainment and meals and plans were being made for camping and training facilities, treehouse accommodation, nature walks, tennis courts and water-themed activities such as fishing, sailing
and water-skiing.
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Last edited by Wirraway; 17th May 2003 at 03:46.