Club Wyndham acquires tropical Qld beachfront resort, Castaways

Travel + Leisure Co. has acquired Castaways Resort & Spa Mission Beach which will be renamed Club Wyndham Mission Beach and join the Club Wyndham South Pacific portfolio.

Mission Beach is a beachside town set on a pristine 14-kilometre beach between the major Queensland coastal centres of Cairns and Townsville. Stunning snorkelling sights near Dunk Island are a 10-minute water taxi ride from Mission Beach, while the Great Barrier Reef is just 40 kilometres offshore, making Mission Beach the closest access point to the renowned wonder. Tours launching from the town rarely encounter other vessels.

“Mission Beach is a tropical North Queensland gem lending itself both to the growing number of travellers who simply want to unplug and relax, and those who want to experience Australia’s incredible natural wonders for themselves. It is also an ideal stopping point between Airlie Beach and Cairns for our club owners taking immersive road trips,” said Travel + Leisure Co. president and managing director, International Operations, Barry Robinson.

“With occupancy rates averaging close to 90 per cent in our vacation club, we look forward to showcasing Mission Beach and introducing the highlights of the surrounding region to our Club Wyndham South Pacific owners and their guests,” he added.

Travellers can explore the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Wet Tropics, an almost 9,000 square kilometre reserve surrounding the town, which boasts some of Australia’s most diverse flora and fauna, threatened species, and significant examples of biological evolution. Mountain bike riders should try the Musgrave Trail in Djiru National Park, and adrenaline junkies can white-water raft in the Tully River, or skydive over the coast.

Club Wyndham Mission Beach will be the 67th property in the Club Wyndham South Pacific portfolio, and the 36th club offering in Australia for the close to 60,000 owners of the region’s leading vacation ownership club.

The resort is absolute beachfront and boasts 48 studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and loft-style apartments. Facilities include two swimming pools with ocean views, a restaurant and bar with substantial dining space and Drift day spa. For years, locals have utilised the resort’s beachfront location, experienced team and mouthwatering cuisine for dream weddings.

The apartments and some common areas will undergo a staged refurbishment slated to begin in the coming months. The resort will operate throughout this time.

The acquisition, brokered by ResortBrokers, shows confidence in the future of Mission Beach as a tourist centre, and comes as the Cassoway Coast Regional Council, Queensland Government and Australian Government undertake the almost $19 million Mission Beach Town Centre Revitalisation Project to upgrade the town’s infrastructure, including its Village Green.

Travel + Leisure Co. oversees approximately 100 properties in Asia Pacific region – 56 of them in Australia – and develops three shared ownership vacation clubs with more than 100,000 members: Club Wyndham South Pacific, Club Wyndham Asia and Accor Vacation Club.