Queensland ecotourism asset with star-studded history for sale

A Queensland eco retreat with links to Sir David Attenborough has been listed for sale, amid growing demand for tourism real estate.

Mungumby Lodge, a 10-cabin bed and breakfast in Rossville, is located on the edge of the Black Mountain (Kalkajaka) National Park and is a 26-minute drive south of Cooktown in Far North Queensland.

Owned and operated by local real estate agent Hamish Haslop and wife Isabella for the past 21 years, the property at 388 Mungumby Road has been listed with a price tag of $1.5 million, making it a potential bargain for investors.

Mr Haslop said the property comes with a number of perks, including private walking trails, a historic mining site, waterfalls, rock pools and stable tourism income from international and domestic clients.

The lodge is located at the edge of the Black Mountain (Kalkajaka) National Park. Picture: realcommercial.com.au/for-sale

“We have a huge number of eyeballs looking at it as there’s a huge interest for tourism properties up here,” he said.

“But Mungumby Lodge is not a property where you can live down in Adelaide or Melbourne and run it from down there.

“It’s not an armchair passive investment so what we seek for the property is an active couple who has the ability to take over and basically understand the reality of what running a tourism business is all about.”

Future tourism potential

Mr Haslop said the property, which spans across 3.8ha, had the potential to be expanded on, pending council approval.

This could include camping and glamping options and the establishment of an Indigenous arts and visitor centre.

Mr Haslop said opportunities in a post-Covid world were endless, especially given the growing domestic market that is keen on exploring Australia’s wildlife and stunning national parks.

“Over the Covid period, our business sort of collapsed and we had to get really creative and learn to adapt to these new times and as soon as the borders reopened, things started to happen for us again,” he said.

“We were actually surprised by how quickly it boomed back and became a very strong business because people couldn’t go overseas.”

Mr Haslop said demand from visitors remains high and he has already taken bookings for 2023 and 2024.

A lodge fit for film royalty

Mr Haslop said the lodge had already found international success, with none other than Sir David Attenborough among its most famous guests.

Sir David Attenborough filmed part of his First Life series at the lodge in 2009. Picture: realcommercial.com.au/for-sale

The famous wildlife film-makers booked out the property in 2009 with he and his crew filming the peripatus, also known as the velvet worm, in a rainforest near Mungumby Lodge.

The ancient worm starred in Attenborough’s First Life series, which details early life on earth.

“One can be in tourism all your life and not have such a person come to your property or even get to spend time with that person,” Mr Haslop said.

“But for us, it came to a point where he even asked me to come on set with them because I found the worm that was sort of the star act of the whole documentary.

“So it was a terrific experience having him here and David was just an amazing man to be around.”

Wellness real estate in hot demand

The growing demand for wellness tourism is expected to reach new highs on the back of the COVID-19 pandemic, with research by the Global Wellness Institute estimating a 10% average annual growth through to 2025.

The property has 10 cabins at the moment, but it could be expanded subject to approval from the local council. Picture: realcommercial.com.au/for-sale

Wellness real estate is expected to be a key driver behind favourable profit margins according to GWI initiative chair Katherine Droga, who said wellness real estate was growing in demand.

Ms Droga, who helped co-found welltraveller.com.au, said a study commissioned by her company found the sector grew by 23.2% globally between 2017 and 2019.

It is expected to grow by a further 16.1% by 2025, taking the sector’s worth to $836.9 billion.

“I’ve been following the market closely in Australia and there has been a lot of sales lately in wellness real estate, including Olivia Newton-John’s Gaia Retreat and Spa that recently transacted in northern New South Wales (for $30 million),” Ms Droga said.

“I think there is huge demand for these types of properties because from an investment perspective, wellness properties get a greater yield per visitor spent per night … when compared to a regular hotel because people are often staying longer.”