A solar-powered island in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef hit the market this week for A$3.5 million (US$2.777 million) in the Whitsundays—a chain of islands off the coast of Queensland, Australia.
The recently updated, 7.7-acre spread known as Victor Island is about a 20-minute boat ride from the mainland. Thanks to a solar electricity system, back-up generator and 10 rainwater tanks, one can bask in total isolation, though still connect to civilization through Wi-Fi, television and Netflix, said the sellers, Australians Paul and Megan Sullivan.
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"It’s so peaceful here. If you’ve had one of those months, or years even, you can come here and it just melts away. And yet you still have all the comforts of home—you won’t miss the next episode of ‘Game of Thrones,’" Mr. Sullivan said.
The Sullivans purchased the island two years ago for an undisclosed amount—though it was listed at the time for A$1.65 million (US$1.308 million), according to property listing sites.
The four-bedroom main house was built in 1996, but the interiors managed to look even more dated than that, Mr. Sullivan said. Indeed images from the former listing show an abundance of wicker furniture and 1980s tribal-patterned upholstery.
They then embarked on purging the property of its decor and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in updates.
"We completely renovated the whole island and had a fantastic cremation of the old furniture," Mr. Sullivan said. They added a new kitchen, new flooring, repainted and replaced the deck.
The island now encompasses the four-bedroom, two-bedroom beach cottage, a detached caretaker’s cottage with a new kitchen and bathroom, walking trails and a 1,076-square-foot freshwater dam that doubles as a swimming hole.
There’s also plenty of white sandy beach overlooking Victor Reef, a slice of the Great Barrier Reef surrounding the island. From the shore, Mr. Sullivan has spotted whales, dolphins, the occasional seal and turtles that will sometimes nest on the island.
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"Some of the best fishing in Queensland can be had here, including red emperor and barramundi, and oysters grow wild on the rocks so you can go down there and chisel them off and throw them on the campfire for dinner," he said.
Mr. Sullivan’s comments were included in an announcement about Victor Island, which is listed with Savills Residential lead agent Wayne Holmes.
The buyers will get the island, buildings fully furnished and maintenance equipment, including a boat and tractor, Mr. Holmes said. The island is also approved to operate as a bed and breakfast if the next owners want to turn it into an incoming-producing property, he said.
Building an additional structure on the island would be an easy approval process, Mr. Holmes added. Another building "would be ideal for family and friends, or to rent out as a holiday home, meaning it could also generate more income," he said.