Skip to main content

You Can Now Buy Your Own Private Island on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef

Money can’t buy happiness, but it sure can make life a little easier. When the going gets tough (e.g., things go all Walking Dead), having a luxurious doomsday bunker, a supercharged, post-apocalyptic getaway ride, or a private island in the Pacific would no doubt make riding out the pandemic almost palatable. If you’re in the market for the latter, there’s an idyllic, one-of-a-kind Australian island for sale, and it could be yours.

Located just 30 minutes off the coast of Queensland, Pumpkin Island is a quick, though social-distancing-friendly escape. The private retreat is on the market for the first time in nearly 20 years. It’s currently operated as an ultra-luxe eco-resort with a handful of beach cottages and enough room for 34 guests. The social scene revolves around a lounge, a full bar, and two waterfront bungalows with game rooms and an extensive library. There’s even a private helicopter landing pad to cater to the island’s most affluent guests. An oyster-shucking operation is optionally available to the new owners.

Recommended Videos

The current owners are looking to sell so they can move closer to family in New Zealand. The couple told CNN, “We would love to hand the island over to someone who would care for it as much as we do. It is a very special place and ideally, the new owners would find as much joy in the beauty and breathtaking nature as we have.” Considering the eye-popping natural beauty of the Great Barrier Reef, that shouldn’t be difficult.

Pumpkin Island has a long and curious history. This is is only the second time since 1961 that it’s changed hands. Before that, it operated quietly as an oyster farm before being won in a poker game for £60 (seriously). In 2003, current owners, Wayne and Laureth Rumble, purchased the lease for a little over AUD $1 million (approximately USD $700,000) after reading a newspaper article about it. The couple turned it into a stunning and quite profitable island getaway. It has since received a long list of accolades as one of the world’s most sustainable eco-resorts. It’s recognized as Australia’s first “beyond carbon neutral” island, meaning it currently offsets 150% of its annual greenhouse gas emissions.

In 2012, the island also became nationally famous when Queensland’s Castlemaine leased it for three years. The brewery temporarily renamed it “XXXX Island” to promote its Castlemaine XXXX beer. The Rumbles said of the promotion, “Their customers could win an all-expenses-paid holiday for themselves and three friends to the island if they found the golden beer can in a case of beer. Almost like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

So, how much is it? Of course, you shouldn’t have to ask if you’re serious about making an offer. According to realtor Knight Frank, the Rumbles are entertaining bids around AUD $25 million (USD $17 million). That price secures the current lease through 2046 and includes everything mentioned above — everything except the furniture, that is. So, you’ll need to factor an IKEA trip into the price tag.

If you’d prefer a more terrestrial alternative to escape the pandemic, this entire Wild West replica town in New Zealand is on the market for the bargain price of just USD $7.5 million.

Mike Richard
Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He's kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South…
Beginner’s guide to cigar shapes and sizes — and why they matter
Why your cigar choice says more about you than your watch (and how to pick the perfect one)
A collection of cigars

Walking into a cigar shop and facing what seems like a million options is enough to make anyone panic. Cigars stacked everywhere, each with a strange name, size, and a slightly different shape from the last one. If you haven't done this before, it's tempting to just grab something, anything, and run!But hold on a second. Those shapes actually matter. They aren't just there to look fancy or make things confusing. The size and shape change the whole experience of smoking that cigar – how it tastes, burns, and feels. It's kind of like how driving a tiny sports car is way different than driving a big truck. Both get you where you're going, but the experience along the way is not the same.

What are cigar vitolas?

Read more
The writer of one of Netflix’s biggest drama is taking on James Bond next
We still don't know who will star in this new installment.
James Bond at a casino

The news that Denis Villeneuve would be taking on the next James Bond film was certainly exciting for many, and as we continue to speculate about who might take over as 007, we're also learning more about who else will be working behind the scenes on the film.

We now know that Steven Knight, the writer behind Peaky Blinders, will be writing the next Bond movie. While Knight is best known for his work on TV, which includes Peaky Blinders and the recent Stephen Graham series A Thousand Blows, he's also the writer behind Spencer and Maria.

Read more
Every new Game of Thrones spinoff explained
George R.R. Martin's television world continues to grow
Matt Smith starring in House of the Dragon

When it first aired on HBO in the early 2010s, Game of Thrones dazzled audiences with revolutionary special effects and terrific acting in a unique fantasy world. Based on author George R.R. Martin's series of novels, the universe depicts the battles between several different noble families as they try to climb to the top of the continent of Westeros, both politically and figuratively. The war scenes, family drama, and massive number of characters helped make the story feel fresh and new every time a new episode aired.

As Martin's attention shifted to television and away from his books, fans have looked to the TV series to finish some of the stories he couldn't finish on the page. Game of Thrones left fans wanting more, despite its poorly received finale, and a plethora of spinoffs are on the way. House of the Dragon already has two seasons completed, and there are several others in the coming years to look forward to.
House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon finished its second season in 2024. The show chronicles the heated family dynamics of the Targaryen empire almost two centuries before the events of Game of Thrones. The third season should pick up the civil war between Queen Rhaenyra's forces and King Aegon's after a slow-building conflict throughout the second act.

Read more