Milne Bay islets for sale

Milne Bay Islands. Photo credit. Milne Bay Group

RICH businessmen from around the world will be targeted in the sales campaign of the Conflict Islands in Milne Bay. 

As indicated by London-based entrepreneur Ian Gowrie-Smith, the islands were valued at US$25 million (K60.5 million) when he bought them in 2003.

Gowrie-Smith told the Financial Review that he was open to offers and ideas.

He said the Conflict Islands were the only known freehold islands available in Papua New Guinea.

He has developed a resort on the third-largest island, Panasesa, which has a 650m runway – which he said could accommodate most private jets, after a leisurely four-hour flight from Sydney. 

The largest island, Irai, has 7,000m of beachfront land and capacity for a 3,000m jet runway.

Gowrie-Smith said he was just as interested in what buyers intended for the atoll as the prices they were willing to pay.

It is anticipated that if the right joint-venture partner puts a hand up, he would enjoy exploring conservation opportunities. 

Ideally, he hopes to find like-minded investors keen to preserve its diverse ecology while opening up tourism opportunities. 

The 21 pristine islands are located south east of the country at the top of the Coral Sea or at the lower end of the D’Entrecasteaux Straits.

The Conflict Islands were named after their 1886 discovery by naval survey ship The Conflict.

Gowrie-Smith had built a solid rapport with the local government and a proposal was before government for a special economic zone for the broader Milne Bay, which would include tax incentives to encourage investment.

The islands can be owned by non-PNG citizens through company structures and the 21 islands are divided into nine PNG companies.

Owning an island is a popular asset for rich people, either as a private getaway or as a tourism investment. 

They are world renowned for diving and fishing and are one of the world’s most beautiful and unspoiled locations – only four hours from Syd-ney. – Australian Financial Review