Sir Richard Branson is pressing ahead with the construction of a luxury Australian island retreat for his Virgin airline staff despite remaining opposition from environmentalists. Plans for the $4 million nine-hectare estate at Noosa, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, have already been scaled back so that there won’t be a country club or helipad as originally sought, but concerns remain about the felling of trees required for the development. Branson bought the heart-shaped Makepeace Island in the middle of the Noosa River for $2.86 million in May 2003 and now owns it in partnership with Virgin Blue Airlines managing director Brett Godfrey. The idea was to turn it into a Balinese-style retreat for the owners’ families and for use by Virgin staff. In style, it mimics Necker Island, Sir Richard’s private Caribbean island.
Paul Johnson is Editor of A Luxury Travel Blog and has worked in the travel industry for more than 30 years. He is Winner of the Innovations in Travel ‘Best Travel Influencer’ Award from WIRED magazine. In addition to other awards, the blog has also been voted “one of the world’s best travel blogs” and “best for luxury” by The Telegraph.
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