LIZARD ISLAND

LIZARD ISLAND

Lizard Island in only 30 km off the North Queensland coast and 250 km north of Cairns, the northernmost city in north-eastern Australia. The 1,012-hectare island is spectacularly rugged with vegetation ranging from grassland to rainforest and en compassing pandanus swamp, eucalypt woodland and mangroves. The most recent discover of his island were Sir Sydney Williama and another north Queensland businessman, Mr. John Willson, now a Brisbane sharebroker. For several years from 1968, they camped on Lizard Island for annual fishing holidays and in 1974, after obtaining a Queensland government lease with other business, built for cabins for guest. In the next step of development in 1978, they raised the number of bungalows to eight, then to fifteen in1982, and in 1984 ultimately the complex was bought by the Queensland State Government Insurance Office.

The island is consistently visited by those who to be quite careful about their health. Each has all the facilities expected in such an elegant resort including well-stocked minibar. It is because of this that Australian Prime Ministers for a decade or so have taken heed, as they constantly retreat to this island to rest, relax and lick the wounds of office. Since this island attracts people from all over the world, most of the time it remains packed. One of the island resort’s founder, Queensland aviation pioneer. Sir Sydney Williams,  affirms that a study Arab Sheikh once came ashore from a charter luxury yacht and tried to book a suite for the night. When told the place was full he hastily produced a chequebook and offered to buy it.