Mulpha’s cyclone-hit luxury island resort to close till mid-next year

One & Only Hayman Island may be closed until middle of 2018.

KUALA LUMPUR: Mulpha International Bhd will have to close its five-star hotel resort, One & Only Hayman Island on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, until the middle of next year to fix the damages inflicted by Cyclone Debbie in March.

Malaysia’s largest real estate developer in Australia said said in a statement that initial assessments had shown that the damage across the resort was “sufficiently extensive” to require the closure of the resort for rectification works until about mid-2018.

“The property is covered under a property insurance policy subject to a deductible of up to A$10mil as well as business interruption cover to protect the impact on trading results for a period of up to 24 months,” the company said.
 
The damages this time appear to be more extensive compared to when the resort was forced to shut down due to damages from cyclones Anthony and Yasi. It was then closed for only five months.

Mulpha Australia Ltd, which is wholly owned by Muplha International, had acquired the 294ha Hayman Island in Queenslands’ Whitsundays in June 2004. 

In 2013, One & Only Resorts took over management of Hayman on behalf of Mulpha Australia. The property launched on July 1, 2014 as One & Only Hayman Island, Great Barrier Reef.

“We will make further announcement(s) should the proposed period of closure be amended in due course,” Mulpha said in the statement on Tuesday.

Mulpha has several hospitality assets Down Under, including the five-star Sydney InterContinental Hotel, Bimbadgen Estate, Marritz Hotel and Salzburg Apartments in New South Wales; and InterContinental Sanctuary Cove in Queensland.