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Wednesday 6 August 2014

Laguna Quays Resort or Ghost town

Laguna Quays resort  with Turtle Cove 18 hole Championship Golf Course Internatiional Airport, world Class Safe Marina, resort style accommodation and Cobference Facility, started out great. It was supposed to be the Gateway to the Whitsunday Island Group. Built on the Shores of Repulse Bay. Luxury Condiminupiums were sold privately to investors looking for a tropical retreat with first class facilities literally within putting distance of a Championship Golf Course. Built within the Mackay Shire it was destined to put the tiny township of Midge Point well and truly on the map. Instead opposition from a few locals, close proximity to the Bruce Highway and substantial red tape saw this fantastically expensive projected plummeting into a financial abyss. The runway for the airport was form at extreme expense before being abandoned. The whole project was sold to a Japanese Consortium for a song and they encountered the same problems. The entire resort is in total disarray. Last year a Chinese man bought the entire project again. All staff,  Barr one maintenance man, were sacked immediately and the entire grounds and amenities have further deteriorated almost to the point of total ruin. The pro shop closed, pool drained, tennis courts taken over by weeds and vines, the play equipment destroyed and unsafe. Gardens overgrown, there has been a fire at some point in one of the buildings and the roof has a huge gaping hole, this area is prone to tropical rain at times, the inside of these buildings must be in terrible shape. The magnificent Golf Course has deteriorated significantly. Whilst the fairways appear to be maintained the greens are wrecked, the bunkers are overgrown. The little tracks and bridges for the little golf carts once sparkling and pristine with beautiful duck ponds are now potholes, overgrown tracks which are probably snake havens. Such a sad waste. We first visited this area about 8 years ago and couldn't believe the total absence of people , golfers, boats, visitors and residents was astounding. It was like a ghost town. The private town houses and condominiums have since been taken over by a private body corporate situation and the gardens are least neat and tidy, they haven't turned out to be the best investment. Most have been a number of times at increasingly lower prices. Many are still for sale and have been for some time. If you wanted to buy a fully furnished 2 bedroom townhouse with golf course adjacent to you front verandah $130 should get you one. Want something bigger? How about and luxury condominium   3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 2 car garage for under $400k
If the place ever resurrects from the ruins the sinking fund will probably kill you. If you fancy a game of tennis on a court full of speed humps, a swim in a dry pool, a game of golf where the greens are considered the rough, or a playground for the kids that gives new meaning to a Jungle Gym then this could be your new heaven on earth. There is no security the front gate has been abandoned, water and power has been disconnected due to unpaid rates and the Marina has more dangerous holes in the walkways and pontoons than an Indiana Jones movie set. The beach club house no longer has a beach view and you'll need a snake charmer for an escort, although once you braved the Jumangi  plants to get there it's the distant cousin of the 'Pub with no Beer'


You won't need your floaties for this pool, the swim up bar is more for land lubbers and there is definitely NO DIVING!!!!



Jungle Gym playground, with broken steps, trip hazards, plenty of adventure here. 

You will have have to wear hiking boots and carry a whipper snipper to attend the racquet club and you probably should wear those rock hoppers onto the tennis court.

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