Australia’s most exclusive island retreat has opened on the Great Barrier Reef, redefining barefoot luxury in North Queensland. Pelorus Private Island offers total seclusion for just one group at a time, combining contemporary design, world-class dining, and immersive nature experiences.

Orpheus and Pelorus Islands emerge from the northernmost peaks of the Great Palm Archipelago. They are accessible via a scenic 30-minute helicopter flight from Townsville or a longer helicopter transfer from the international air hub of Cairns. They provide guests front-row access to pristine and complex fringing reef systems along the protected Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The region’s clear, azure waters are home to colourful corals and a rich diversity of marine life including manta rays, turtles, dugongs and migratory whales.

Spanning 12 kilometres in length and 2.5 kilometres at its widest point, Orpheus Island is home to more than 1,000 hectares of national park, which acts as a sanctuary for native wildlife including bandicoots, sea eagles, ospreys, brahminy kites, and echidnas. Pelorus Island is made up of 400 hectares of pristine wilderness and is surrounded by superb fringing reefs.

Luxury Lodges of Australia Executive Chair Penny Rafferty said the addition of Orpheus and Pelorus added depth and diversity of luxury lodge access to locations and experiences across the 2,300km (1,450-mile) expanse of the Great Barrier Reef.

Both Orpheus Island Lodge and Pelorus Private Island feature a strong commitment to sustainability on every level: energy and water consumption, waste minimisation, and carbon footprint reduction. The dining experience reflects this approach. At Orpheus, the island’s kitchen garden provides the chefs with a constant supply of organic seasonal produce, while the happy resident chickens provide a daily supply of free-range eggs. Sustainably sourced prawns, coral trout and painted rock lobster are just some of ingredients sourced from local fishermen and suppliers.  Guests at Pelorus enjoy the attention of a private chef, who creates bespoke menus to suit guests’ preferences.

Pelorus Private Island has been named one of the 50 Greatest Luxury Hotels on Earth 2025 by Robb Report, cementing its place among the world’s most luxury places to stay. Nestled within the pristine Great Palm archipelago on the Great Barrier Reef, this ultra-private island offers an unparalleled blend of barefoot luxury, refined design, and untouched natural beauty. Accessible only by private yacht or helicopter, the island is home to a single, architecturally designed residence featuring five ocean-view suites, infinity-edge pool, and expansive indoor-outdoor living spaces.

Recognised for redefining Australian luxury, Pelorus Private Island delivers a truly bespoke experience on the Great Barrier Reef — where days unfold at your pace, from private diving excursions and island adventures to tailored dining experiences by your personal chef. The Robb Report accolade celebrates Pelorus Private Island as a benchmark for luxury in Australia.

“This is what it’s like to take over a private island on the world’s largest coral reef. The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef. It stretches for more than 1,400 miles, its 900 or so islands dotted like delicious scoops of ice cream across a chunk of the planet that’s bigger than Britain. There are plenty of splashy resorts on private islands, and some have exclusive villas. But none has an individual home with its own secluded palm-fringed address – until now.

Pelorus Private Island is on the northernmost cluster of the Palm Island group, just off the coast of Townsville, an area that’s long lived in the shadow of its flashier Whitsundays neighbours. It has the biggest single home on the reef, with five suites for 11 guests, which blends into its own nearly 1,000-acre jungle of endemic coastal vegetation and young coconut palms, fronted by World Heritage-listed coral beauty. This is the first time this patch of paradise, which is accessible by helicopter or yacht, has been fully open to the outside world.”