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Deltine’s
SADDLE UP FOR A BREAKOUT YEAR!
IAN CROOKS, CHAIRMAN
Our first Informer for CY26 heralds a great year ahead.
I’ve said it of each passing year, but eternal optimist that I am, I think 2026 is going to be a belter for our industry.
And despite uncertainty in the economy and the situation in the Middle East, there’s more reason to be optimistic than not.
Last November, we breached a major threshold when the ABS announced that international tourist visitation was back above pre-Covid levels. It took five years, but we got there! In the year to June 2025, international tourists spent $13 billion on holidays in Australia –up 27% on the previous year.
And while a stronger Australian dollar is certainly tempting more of us to travel overseas (fuel supplies permitting!), the forecasts from Tourism Research Australia and Austrade show total visitor expenditure is on target to reach $233 billion by 2030 — up from $180 billion in 2024.
All in all, great news for our industry.
So with growth on the horizon, ResortBrokers is growing as well. So far this year, we’ve already taken on two new team members: Toowoombabased Nick Lowis will serve our motel and caravan park clients in the Greater Toowoomba and Darling Downs Region, , and Steve Pappas joins our award-winning Brisbane management rights team. Welcome aboard Nick and Steve — great to have you with us.
There’s plenty of great reading in this issue of Informer. Our main story celebrates the top 40 movers and shakers in our industry. Lists are always controversial, but we’re a print magazine with limited real estate, so we had to cap it at 40. Did we get it right? Let the debate begin!
Our Faces of the Industry is David Toomey, who as head of Deltine Capital aims to be Australia’s largest owned and operated motel chain within the next five years. Read more about Deltine’s grand ambitions and David’s remarkable career in our story.
For our regional spotlight, our local broker Sarah Hutchins shares her insights on the accommodation property market across South Coast NSW, surely one of the most gorgeous parts of the country.
We love success stories, and we’ve got a great one this issue. Alex Mengual and Mark Matula have been documenting their experiences as young moteliers running Copper Country Motor Inn in Nanango, Queensland, on Instagram and TikTok. Their accounts have 50,000 followers and their top post has over 800,000 views!
ResortBrokers has proudly supported the Quest for a Cause golf days since the very beginning. These golf days combine great fun with meaningful fundraising for truly worthy causes, especially Team Kill Cancer which is run by longtime ‘Questies’ Mark and Ky O’Shea. Read more in our story about how their charity work has evolved over the last decade and how it’s really making a positive difference in the lives of the people they help.
Finally, Lunar New Year has just passed, so happy new year to all our readers who celebrate that great occasion. We’re now in the Year of the Horse — the Fire Horse to be exact, which typically signifies a time of action. So, saddle up — 2026 is going to be big. END
“WE’RE NOW IN THE YEAR OF THE HORSE, SIGNIFYING A TIME OF ACTION. SO, SADDLE UP — 2026 IS GOING TO BE BIG!”
On a personal note, I want to acknowledge the passing of my best mate of 50 years, Grant Batty. Grant distinguished himself as an All Black, playing 15 tests as winger during the 1970s. Those who saw him play will remember his explosive speed, his uncanny ability to spot the smallest gap in a defensive line and his fearless streak — never hesitating to take on opponents much bigger than himself.
Those same qualities defined him off the field. When he represented ResortBrokers as an agent across the Gold Coast and northern NSW, he brought that same drive, energy and competitive spirit to everything he did.
To me, though, he was simply my best friend who was there through life’s ups and downs. You’ll be sorely missed, mate.
TRUDY CROOKS MANAGING DIRECTOR
Opportunity waits for no one — in the current market, you’ve got to be fast, agile and clever to get the results you want, writes Managing Director Trudy Crooks.
The market right now is like a hypersonic rocket — fast and hot (much like this crazy world we’re living in!).
Normally, there’s a very clear delineation between calendar years. The market would enter a holding pattern in the lead up to Christmas, then pick up again in February — the second busiest listing period after the end of financial year in July/August.
JACK BE NIMBLE , VENDORS BE QUICKER
“IN THIS MARKET, ASSETS PRICED AND PRESENTED CORRECTLY ARE SELLING — AND FAST!”
That’s not the market we’re in. It’s like 2025 never finished and momentum has carried us into 2026.
I don’t need to tell you basic market fundamentals — supply and demand. This market is low supply and high demand. In the motel space, make that very high.
Some examples on our books: Jindy Inn (75+ enquiries), (80+), Border Motel (85+), Cattle City Motor Inn (95+), Lakeside Tourist Park (95+), Ballina Homestead Motel (100+), Squatters Homestead Motel (110+), Motel Ingham (140+) and Southport Motel & Apartments (170+)!
These are just the assets we’ve listed on market. ResortBrokers is also doing a record number of deals off market.
We've always believed the best sale price is generated through competition. High demand is one thing, but a good agent is one who can harness high demand into the best possible price for their client.
The first few weeks of any campaign have always been the most critical. That’s particularly so in this market. Buyers are sophisticated, educated and have short attention spans. If you go to market with an overcooked price, you risk missing out on buyers who may have bought your asset if you’d priced it correctly. Those buyers just aren’t going to be there when the wheel goes around again.
The last thing you want in this market is a ‘stale’ listing — that’s a listing that languishes on the market so that buyers think there must be something wrong with it. Avoid, avoid, avoid.
In this fast-moving market, the only time to ‘slow down’ is at the start. We often get feedback from vendors who say we ask for more information than any other agency.
But the thing is we want to prepare you for success not failure. We’re trying to foresee problems ahead. Getting buyers is one thing; the other hurdle is getting deals past banks and valuers. If we’re not asking relevant questions, I guarantee they will be! This means we’ll be honest with you and sometimes tell you things you don’t want to hear. But it’s all designed to get you the best result.
It’s self-defeating to do otherwise! We simply don’t understand agencies that ‘buy listings’ by telling you what you want to hear. We don’t want to be constantly letting clients down with false promises.
“AGENTS WHO SAY IT TAKES UP TO EIGHT WEEKS TO KNOW IF AN ASSET IS PRICED CORRECTLY ARE DOING YOU NO FAVOURS.”
In the off-market space, we’re doing that through invite-only campaigns to a select number of qualified buyers. That strategy has proved very successful for getting great sale prices for our clients in this market.
But you’ve got to price and present assets correctly.
If you take nothing else from this column, let it be this: in the current market, assets that are priced and presented correctly are selling — and fast.
Any agent telling you it takes up to eight weeks before they know whether an asset is priced correctly is doing you no favours. There’s no part of the country where it should take up to eight weeks to know whether you’ve priced your asset correctly — the market is just too hot!
We want to be transparent, and, ultimately, to exceed your price expectations.
That’s why we’ve invested so heavily into research and give our clients data-driven appraisals. We’re the only specialist accommodation property agency to have our own inhouse research department, which has at its disposal the industry’s largest database of sales — both ours and our competitors. If we get our price appraisals wrong, which sometimes happens (though not too often!), we’ll put our hand up and admit it — then quickly change tack and change our marketing strategy.
Whatever agency you engage to sell your asset, make sure they have the data to support their appraisal. Ask them to show you the sales they’re basing their analysis on. Because in this market, it may well be the difference between sales success and failure. END
SIX OF THE BEST
Hand-picked by Managing Director
Trudy Crooks
UNCONDITIONAL
SOUTHPORT MOTEL & APARTMENTS
GOLD COAST, QLD
A standout team effort delivered an exceptional result, achieving an outstanding sale price after several written offers were presented. Results like this are no accident. ResortBrokers consistently achieves above asking price by creating competition among buyers. Director Alex Cook, alongside brokers Nathan Benjamin and Miguel Bozina, marketed this 38-key freehold motel in Southport via a targeted expressions of interest campaign. The response was outstanding, generating 145 enquiries, 17 inspections and six offers. The successful buyer is an experienced multi-owner of motel leaseholds on the Gold Coast who had been in our network since 2017.
Alex Cook M: 0467 600 610
Nathan Benjamin M: 0459 955 649
Miguel Bozina M: 0419 848 444
MIHAVEN LIVING
CAIRNS, QLD
There’s no substitute for local expertise! After an unsuccessful campaign with a Sydney-based agency, ResortBrokers had this portfolio — comprising 131 rooms across three central Cairns’ properties — under offer within a month. Our local agent, Leah, leveraged her on-the-ground expert knowledge of the Cairns’ market to explain to buyers why this sharedliving accommodation for students and transient workers is so successful. Our campaign generated strong buyer interest, with 30 enquiries, two inspections and two offers. The successful purchaser was Redhill Hospitality Group, which has more than $100 million in assets under management.
Leah Bursztynowicz M: 0468 918 250
BRIGHT COLONIAL MOTEL
BRIGHT, VIC
Like the rest of the country, Victoria’s motel market is hot, hot, hot! ResortBrokers sold this 22-key freehold in the heart of Bright for close to list price within four weeks of launch. The campaign generated very strong buyer interest, with 37 enquiries, four inspections and three offers. The successful purchasers were first-time buyers — a couple seeking a tree change after years of searching for the right opportunity. Bright Colonial Motel ticked every box for them. A strength of ResortBrokers is that we take the time to understand what our buyers are looking for, allowing us to match the right buyers with the right opportunities.
Chris Boschetti M: 0428 812 434
QUEST BENDIGO & QUEST BENDIGO CENTRAL
BENDIGO, VIC
This was the second Quest franchise sale by our West Victoria broker, Hugh, following his record-breaking sale of the 77-apartment Quest Ballarat Station in June last year. Hugh sold this dynamic duo — the 38-apartment Quest Bendigo and the 60-apartment Quest Bendigo Central — in one line to a couple entering the accommodation sector for the first time. Our campaign attracted huge buyer interest, generating more than 100 enquiries and culminating in a sale that established a new benchmark for Quest business transactions, reflecting a premium of 10% against historical capitalisation rates achieved through an intensely competitive sales campaign. ResortBrokers sells more Quest businesses than any other agency, and Quest operators continue to trust us with the sale of their businesses because we understand the model and what sets it apart.
Hugh Thomas M: 0420 996 319
TERRIGAL PACIFIC COASTAL RETREAT
TERRIGAL, NSW
Strong buyer demand drove the sale of this 36-apartment holiday complex. Our campaign generated 60 enquiries, four inspections and three offers, ultimately resulting in a sale to a sophisticated investor entering the management rights sector for the first time.
Jacqueline Featherby M: 0424 497 056
LAKESIDE TOURIST PARK
ROBE, SA
ResortBrokers’ campaign for this 114-site freehold caravan and cabin park on the shores of Lake Fellmongery generated 96 enquiries and nine inspections before M&G Hotel Group emerged as the successful buyer. We consistently deliver results for our clients by investing the time to build genuine, enduring relationships with great operators like M&G — one of our regular buyers. Another great sale by our local broker, Kelli — one that highlights the benefit of local, on-the-ground knowledge and ResortBrokers’ national network.
Kelli Crouch M: 0410 441 750
PRICE IT. POSITION IT. SELL IT.
ResortBrokers sells more accommodation assets that any other agency for a reason — we price and position them correctly.
We give our clients transparent, data-backed appraisals that reflect what the market is likely to pay for their asset. When we take an asset to market, we position it at the top end of what we can confidently stand behind. Buyers are increasingly sophisticated, and overcooked prices get no attention.
ResortBrokers consistently achieves at or above asking price because we know how to generate real interest and healthy competition for an asset. In the difference between asking price and sale price, ResortBrokers outperforms our competitors twofold, as shown in the graph below, which is based on more than 1,100 sales — both ResortBrokers and our competitors.
COMPETITORS RESORTBROKERS
RESORTBROKERS: CONNECTING THE INDUSTRY FOR 40 YEARS
ResortBrokers’ regular events connect established owners and operators as well as industry newcomers to the network and knowledge they need to succeed.
RESORTBROKERS’ ABILITY TO MAKE AND SUSTAIN CONNECTIONS IN THE AUSTRALIAN ACCOMMODATION PROPERTY INDUSTRY HAS DELIVERED UNPRECEDENTED SUCCESS FOR OUR CLIENTS FOR FOUR DECADES.
ResortBrokers connects. No other agency offers our comprehensive suite of services that connects buyers and sellers in the accommodation property marketplace and the knowledge pool that enables them to make informed choices. And all under one roof. Having integrated capabilities gives ResortBrokers the ability to offer our clients an all-inclusive service.
Our sales database, comprising our own sales and external sales provided by our data partners, is the largest in the industry, which gives us the ability to guide you towards data-led selling decisions.
Each asset is different. Therefore, each sale is different. Whether it’s a high-end information memorandum, traditional press coverage or a targeted social media campaign, RB Plus offers a menu of effective options to get your asset sold.
RB Radio extends our expertise into the podcast space by delivering useful insights from key industry figures to help you flourish. Tune in!
SALES & LISTINGS OUR TOP
We’ve been experiencing exceptionally high demand across all accommodation asset classes. Here’s a selection of some of our best recent sales and listings.
SETTLED
COMFORT INN GRAMMAR VIEW
TOOWOOMBA, QLD
We sold this 32-key leasehold motel off market in record time — within six hours of receiving our agency! We’re able to achieve great results for our clients because we know what our buyers are looking for. The purchaser had recently acquired another Toowoomba leasehold motel through us and recognised the value in Comfort Inn Grammar View, moving decisively to secure a sale.
David Faiers M: 0432 766 788
Nathan Benjamin M: 0459 955 649
LISTED
CASSIS RED HILL
MORNINGTON PENINSULA, VIC
If you’re looking for a top-quality accommodation asset within comfortable reach of Melbourne, this could be your ticket. These five luxury villas, overlooking Lindenderry Estate vineyard on the Mornington Peninsula, can be easily managed remotely in return for a healthy net profit.
Chris Boschetti M: 0428 812 434
BELL’S SQUARE
BRISBANE, QLD
We sold the management rights to this 92-apartment complex in a prime Fortitude Valley location to an experienced operator with an established portfolio of inner-Brisbane management rights, further strengthening their presence in one of the city’s most sought-after precincts.
Jessie Shi M: 0422 935 428
SETTLED
OCEAN VIEW MOTEL
PERTH, WA
We received huge demand — 140+ enquiries! — for this leasehold motel in North Beach. The property sold for asking price at a sub-29% yield to a first-time WA buyer who wanted a highly profitable management rights or leasehold motel at a specific price point — this motel was a great fit.
Blair Macdonald M: 0433 149 144
LITCHFIELD OUTBACK RESORT
SETTLED
344 SANDGATE RD (HUDSON LOFTS)
BRISBANE, QLD
Our experienced vendor engaged ResortBrokers for our accommodation property expertise to work with retail specialist Chesters on this listing. Leveraging his knowledge of the short-term market, our Brisbane broker Nathan helped secure a successful sale of this mixed-use property comprising retail, dining and 19 shortstay apartments. The purchaser — a first-time accommodation/ retail buyer who has been in ResortBrokers’ network since 2016 — recognised the value of diversified income streams.
Nathan Benjamin M: 0459 955 649
SETTLED
BAROOGA RIVER GUMS MOTOR INN
BAROOGA, NSW
This 16-key freehold motel on the Murray River was sold off market to a QLD-based buyer seeking to expand into the motel sector. We achieved a result well above asking price at a sub-11% yield — a great outcome for our client. This sale highlights the benefit of having an ongoing relationship with your broker, so you can make the most of off-market opportunities.
Tristan Mears M: 0408 236 420
A first-time buyer secured the businessonly management rights to this premium residential apartment complex. Offering genuine scale, the business encompasses 307 apartments across two mid-rise towers overlooking Mermaid Waters on the Gold Coast.
UNCONDITIONAL
ELLEN HOTEL
PORT PIRIE, SA
Leasehold opportunities are few and far between in Port Pirie’s CBD, as highlighted by the excellent yield achieved in this off-market sale. Our buyer — a multi-asset operator with several accommodation interests across SA and NSW — has been part of our network since 2015 and has previously acquired properties through us.
Kelli Crouch M: 0410 441 750
SETTLED
BORDER MOTEL
GOONDIWINDI, QLD
We sold this leasehold motel — complete with a three-bed manager’s residence — for above asking price, delivering an impressive ~28% yield. Our campaign generated exceptional interest — 85 enquiries, four inspections — reconfirming that competition always drives the best results for our clients. The buyers were first timers seeking to enter the motel industry at a specific price point.
David Faiers M: 0432 766 788
Nathan Benjamin M: 0459 955 649
UNCONDITIONAL
CHATEAU ROYALE
MAROOCHYDORE, QLD
Our Sunshine Coast agent — and ARAMA’s 2025 Broker of the Year — sold the management rights to this 65-apartment prime beachfront holiday-letting complex to a corporate operator who owns several other Sunshine Coast management rights. The buyer has been in our network since 2018 and has previously purchased through us.
Chenoa Daniel M: 0403 143 151
COAST, QLD
HAVEN RIDGE GRANTS BEACH, NSW
We sold this freehold eco-resort, set on 130 ha of bushland behind Grants Beach on the Mid North Coast, off market to an experienced operator with other North Coast properties. Our buyer has been in our network since 2016 and has purchased through us before.
Joshua Roberts M: 0439 654 464
ResortBrokers believes there are buyers for even the most remote properties … if you know where to find them. Our broker, David, who sold the 20-key Castaway Norfolk Island in 2025, has listed this exclusive clifftop eco-resort, which is the centrepiece of a historic portfolio offering representing the largest landholding ever brought to market on Norfolk.
David Faiers M: 0432 766 788
ANCHORAGE LORNE
LORNE, VIC
First time to market in over 43 years, this family operated apartment/villa complex boasts a prime beachfront location and substantial landholding on Mountjoy Parade. This exceptionally well-positioned freehold asset, including four commercial leases providing great passive income, would suit either an owner-operator or developer seeking to leverage the property’s prime seaside location in one of the Great Ocean Road’s most fashionable destinations.
Hugh Thomas M: 0420 996 319
We last sold this 27-key, four-star leasehold motel in 2023, and this latest sale shows how much the market has shifted since then. We had over 100 enquiries, five inspections and four written offers from pre-qualified purchasers. The property went under offer in just over two weeks after hitting the market, achieving a sub-20% yield! An exceptional result for our client.
Miguel Bozina M: 0419 848 444
BALLINA, QLD
LORNE BUSH HOUSE COTTAGES
LORNE, VIC
If you want to get in on the growing trend of naturebased retreats in one of the most popular destinations on the Great Ocean Road, have a look at this. Set on more than five hectares of native bushland above Lorne’s main township, this freehold eco-lodge consists of six self-contained cottages and five safari-style glamping tents. And the beach ... just five minutes away. What’s not to love? Contact our local agent today.
Hugh Thomas M: 0420 996 319
SOUTHGATE MOTEL
This 52-key leasehold motel in Mount Gambier, halfway between Adelaide and Melbourne, sold to Regional Motel Partners, a new motel fund. The lease was tightly held by our client who’d been at the property for more than 20 years. Buyer demand was strong — 55+ enquiries — leading to the asset being under offer within one month of listing, ultimately selling for a price in line with our client’s expectations.
Kelli Crouch M: 0410 441 750
THE GROVES, THE HAMPTONS & LAVENDER VIEWS
Sold to first-time buyers, this business-only management rights portfolio comprises 118 townhouses across three residential complexes in the high-growth north Brisbane suburbs of Carseldine and Griffin. Interest in our campaign was strong, resulting in the portfolio being under offer within six weeks. Business-only management rights are all the rage because they offer flexibility, with no set office hours and no requirement to own a lot or live onsite.
Boasting a net profit over $1 million, this is a rare ‘super rights’ opportunity to acquire a blue-chip holiday asset in one of the Gold Coast’s most sought-after short-term accommodation markets.
Rising 30 storeys in a prime Surfers Paradise location, this 4.5-star resort has a letting pool of 77 apartments from a total of 176.
Looking for the ultimate tree change? The Canopy Treehouses is an award-winning boutique eco-resort on the edge of the world-famous Wet Tropics, just 90 minutes’ drive west of Cairns. A small number of guest accommodations make this a very manageable proposition for an owner-operator, with a three-bedroom timber residence to boot.
Leah Bursztynowicz M: 0468 918 250
UNCONDITIONAL
CASCADE
GOLD COAST, QLD
We marketed these premium off-the-plan management rights for renowned builder-developer Andrews via a six-week expressions of interest campaign. Cascade comprises 222 apartments and five villas across two 15-storey towers in Robina. The buyer is a sophisticated operator of multiple management rights, well known to ResortBrokers and part of our network since 2012.
Todd Warner M: 0438 170 763
Alex Cook M: 0467 600 610
LISTED
SETTLED
MOTEL INGHAM
INGHAM, QLD
Typical of the demand we’re seeing across the country, this leasehold motel received 170+ enquiries, generating multiple offers within the first week of listing. The property sold to an experienced motelier who could see the potential in the local community.
Steven Styles M: 0488 044 981
CLOSEBURN HOUSE
BLUE MOUNTAINS, NSW
CommercialRealEstate.com.au called this stunning historical property “the Blue Mountains’ most fascinating estate.” For sale via expressions of interest, this eightsuite escape is just 20 minutes northwest of Katoomba, and includes a 100-seat restaurant, guest bar, commercial kitchen, liquor licence and manager’s residence. Keen? Give our local agent a call.
Jacqueline Featherby M: 0424 497 056
Exceptional coastal development opportunity featuring DA-approved plans for 28 boutique apartments on an elevated 3,018sqm site with panoramic ocean views.
The existing 12-room motel, recently refurbished throughout, delivers secure holding income with DA + Engineering progressed to CC1 for lodgement. Potential to start demolition.
Positioned in tightly held Mollymook, three hours from Sydney, this rare offering combines premium design approvals, natural topography advantages, and immediate revenue generation in one of the South Coast's most sought-after locations.
• DA approval for 28 boutique 1, 2 & 3 bedroom apartments
• Expansive 3,018sqm site with panoramic ocean views to Mollymook & Collars Beach
• DA + Engineering progressed to CC1 for lodgement. Potential to start demolition
• Convenient three-hour drive to Sydney and 2.5 hours to Canberra
• R1 General Residential zoning supports future development
• Close proximity to Ulladulla town centre
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HEAVY HITTERS & RISING STARS
AN ACCOMMODATION INDUSTRY POWER LIST
From proven performers to innovators and disruptors, Informer’s power list celebrates the top 40 people tearing up the charts of Australia’s accommodation industry or who’ve made a lasting impact on our sector as pioneers. (Order is entirely random!).
1
HARRY TRIGUBOFF
FOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR, MERITON
At 93, the indefatigable giant of Australian business remains our country’s second-richest individual, having built his fortune through Meriton, the property empire he founded in 1963. Widely regarded as the most successful developer in Australian history, Mr Triguboff distinguished himself by mastering every stage of the development process — acquiring land, overseeing construction, selling apartments and retaining the management rights. Meriton pioneered luxury apartmentstyle hotel accommodation and today stands as Australia’s largest hotel owner-operator, the largest privately owned apartment developer (80,000+!) and the country’s largest holder of management rights. Mr Triguboff’s understanding of the value of management rights has been a key foundation of the success of Meriton’s hotel and residential developments. During his meteoric rise, Mr Triguboff earned the nickname “High-Rise Harry,” a sobriquet he later embraced as the title of his 2024 autobiography.
JANE HASTINGS
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, EVT
ASX-listed EVT is one of the top three hotel operators in Australia, making Jane Hastings’ CEO role, which she’s held since 2017, a pivotal one. EVT has approximately 80 hotels across Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, operating under brands such as Rydges, QT, Atura, LyLo and the Independent Collection. Another key decisionmaker at EVT is Peter Hill, a 30-year hotel industry veteran, who as Director of Development — Hotels & Resorts, is the company’s go-to person for development and acquisitions.
ADRIAN WILLIAMS
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER — PACIFIC, ACCOR
ResortBrokers has had great pleasure working alongside Accor over many years. During that time, Accor has solidified its position as Australia’s largest hotel operator and the world’s sixth. Driving Accor’s success in our part of the world has been Adrian who looks after the group’s Pacific interests. The Victorian took up his current position in 2024 after 26 years with the global giant, where he led the company’s $1.3 billion acquisition of Mantra in 2018. Having sold Mantra many of their properties over the years, ResortBrokers is thrilled to see the brand prosper under the stewardship of Adrian, who oversees more than 400 hotels and 21,500 staff across Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Hawaii. No profile of Accor would be complete without mentioning Lindsay Leeser who as Chief Development Officer — Pacific is the company’s point man for hotel development.
4
JERRY SCHWARTZ
DIRECTOR, SCHWARTZ FAMILY COMPANY
Jerry Schwartz heads Australia’s largest privately owned hotel group started by his parents, Bel and Eva, in 1973. Today, the group’s portfolio numbers 15 hotels under brands including Sofitel, MGallery, Novotel, Mercure, Ibis, Rydges and Hilton. Over the last few years, the Schwartz company has diversified into more leisure / family friendly tourism assets and locations, such as Leura Gardens Resort which the group bought for $25 million from Elanor Hotel Accommodation Fund in 2024.
Justin Hemmes took over Merivale, the business started by his parents in the mid 1990s, and diversified into hospitality. Justin has the Midas touch, reinvigorating every location he buys into, which now includes Sydney CBD — Merivale’s revitalisation project, greenlit late last year, will see five heritage buildings in York, King and Clarence Streets transformed into a shimmering hospitality precinct. Accommodation remains a minor focus for Merivale, but it certainly has some sexy properties: Establishment Hotel, The Grand Hotel and Wynyard Hotel in Sydney’s CBD; Lorne Hotel in Lorne; Surf Beach Holiday Park in Narooma on the NSW South Coast; and The Whale Inn, also in Narooma, which Hemmes bought through ResortBrokers in 2021. After an extreme makeover, The Whale is set to reopen in the first half of 2026 as a boutique hotel. 5
JUSTIN HEMMES
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, MERIVALE
CHRIS MORRIS
FOUNDER, MORRIS GROUP
Chris Morris used the fortune he made with Computershare to dabble in resorts, with the chief beneficiary being North Queensland. The AFR rich lister has invested hundreds of millions in the region with luxury properties that include luxury island hideaways Orpheus Island Lodge and Pelorus Private Island and outback resort Mount Mulligan Lodge. In 2014, Mr Morris reinvigorated Townsville’s struggling The Ville Resort-Casino with a $20 million facelift, and in late 2023 gave Townsville its first five-star hotel, The Ardo.
8
DEAGUE FAMILY
DEAGUE GROUP
FRAWLEY FAMILY
MANAGEMENT RIGHTS
The Frawleys, together with the Picones (see right), are two families who have been synonymous with management rights on the Gold Coast for decades. Both families have bought and sold multiple management rights assets through ResortBrokers. The Frawley brothers — Peter, Bryan and Maurice — got their start in 1985 and today are one of the largest and most successful private operators in Australia. The Frawleys’ Gold Coast portfolio includes Australia’s tallest building, the 531-apartment Q1 Resort & Spa in Surfers Paradise.
Patriarch W.H. Deague would be enormously proud of the pioneering spirit shown by the current standard bearers of the family company he started in 1859. Chief Executive Officer William Deague and Managing Director Jonathan Deague continue to push the venerable 167-yearold company forward in new ways. They not only made hotel development an art but blended art into several of their creations, notably the Art Series Hotels (which ResortBrokers sold for them to Mantra Group in 2017) and five-star hotel The Fantauzzo (subsequently rechristened Vincent) at Brisbane’s Howard Smith Wharves. Under Will and Jono, Deague Group continues to pioneer new projects and locations, such as their latest development — Bright Valley, a premium masterplanned community comprising 350 homes in Victoria’s High Country.
9
DAVID MANSFIELD
MANAGING DIRECTOR, THE ASCOTT LIMITED FOR AUSTRALIA
CHAIR, AUSTRALIAN HOTELS ASSOCIATION
David took Quest Apartment Hotels from a family owned corporate into its new home under Singapore-based The Ascott Limited, one of the world’s leading serviced residence owner-operators.
David’s illustrious 35-year career in the hotel sector saw him work for the likes of IHG and Hyatt before joining Ascott in 2019 as chief operating officer of Quest. He assumed Ascott’s top executive role in Australia in 2021 and continues to oversee the expansion of Quest, Australasia’s largest and fastest growing apartment hotel operator, with over 160 properties across Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. He’s also overseen the rollout of other exciting Ascott brands into Australia, such as Oakwood, lyf and Citadines.
PICONE FAMILY
MANAGEMENT RIGHTS
The Picone management rights dynasty started in the 1980s with patriarch Frank Picone who later joined forces with his three sons, Paul, Craig and Jason, to form the company that bears their initials, PCJ MR Pty Ltd. A career highlight was the Picone’s 2009 purchase of the management rights to the Gold Coast’s largest strata-titled resort, the 713-apartment Towers of Chevron Renaissance, which they later sold to Mantra Group in 2015.
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PENNY FOWLER
CHAIR, TOURISM AUSTRALIA
Tourism is Australia’s fourth-largest export industry, which makes Penny Fowler a key figure as head of this corporate Commonwealth entity. Fowler joined Tourism Australia’s board in 2019 and was appointed as its first female chair in 2024. Her immediate challenge is continuing to push international visitation beyond 2019 pre-Covid levels.
JOHN ZECKENDORF & RYAN SHAW
PRINCIPALS,
MANDALA ASSET SOLUTIONS
John and Ryan aren’t what you’d expect when you meet the largest regional accommodation fund managers in the country. These former PwC accountants don’t look or act corporate, which is part of their charm. But they’re among the shrewdest operators in the game who, through astute investment, have grown Mandala Asset Solutions into the juggernaut it is. From a standing start in 2002, Mandala now has a portfolio of over 40 properties in multiple cities across Australia, representing $250 million in assets under management. ResortBrokers has had the pleasure of transacting many of Mandala’s major acquisitions over the years. On a personal note, John was the first Tasmanian to summit Everest. For Mandala, he and Ryan are eyeing off a corporate version of Everest: $1 billion worth of assets under management.
MICHAEL TOZER
DIRECTOR, COLLECTIVE HOTEL MANAGEMENT
Through his company Collective Hotel Management, Michael has been a major management rights player for over a decade and is one of the best operators in the business. Today, the company has a portfolio of premium properties across three Australian states, many of which have been acquired through ResortBrokers. Michael and wife Chloe were also behind the loving restoration of Sunshine Coast icon Halse Lodge, which made the pages of Vogue in 2024.
PETER BARGE CONSULTANT
ResortBrokers has long drawn on Peter’s deep experience in the accommodation space as our executive mentor and coach — and now as our recently appointed board member. Peter rose to prominence in the high-flying 1980s when, with Stephen Burt and Bill Cross, he started Transact Hotel and Tourism Property. He recalls waking to multiple overnight fax offers from Japanese buyers eager to secure Australian hotels and golf resorts. Transact went on to become Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels — a move that took Peter to New York, Chicago and later Singapore — turning it into the largest hotel brokerage firm in the world. As Global Chairman of Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels, and Asia Pacific CEO of Jones Lang LaSalle itself, Peter led a network of more than 20,000 staff across 12 countries and 60-plus offices. Now ‘retired,’ Peter’s expertise remains in high demand, consulting to major players in the local and global hotel industry. 15
PAUL & ROBERT SALTER
MANAGING DIRECTOR / DIRECTOR, SALTER BROTHERS
The past few years have been seismic for the global fund manager. In 2021, it acquired Mirvac and NRMA’s Travelodge portfolio for a reported $620 million, followed by its 2022 acquisition of Spicers Retreats for a reported $130 million. While the Travelodge portfolio acquisition made strategic sense, the move into the boutique luxury segment with Spicers came as a surprise to many. Yet it reflected Salter Brothers’ knack for identifying a trend earlier than most — in this case growing guest demand for exclusive, high-end experiences.
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GRANT WILCKENS
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, DISCOVERY PARKS
Grant has been a huge part of Discovery’s success story. Having brought the Adelaide-based group back from the brink in 2009 after the GFC, Grant has built Discovery into Australia’s largest network of holiday parks, with the backing of majority shareholder Sunsuper and Discovery’s board. Under Grant’s stewardship, Discovery has become a $1 billion company, investing in waterparks, resort-style parks and safari-style glamping in some of the nation’s top tourist destinations.
19 CRAIG HOOLEY
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, MINOR HOTELS
Minor Hotels continues to go from strength to strength under Craig’s leadership. As COO of Minor for the last eight years, Craig oversees 60 properties across Australia and New Zealand, providing returns to over 7,000 stratatitled apartment owners. Minor Hotels — a subsidiary of Minor International, a publicly listed company on the Thai Stock Exchange — is a leading service operator in some of Australia’s most prestigious short-term complexes, including Queen’s Wharf Residences, Avani Central Melbourne Residences and Avani Broadbeach Residences, all of which Minor purchased through ResortBrokers.
EMMA HYNES
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS –AUSTRALASIA & PACIFIC, IHG HOTELS & RESORTS
DEPUTY CHAIR, ACCOMMODATION AUSTRALIA
BEN ORTON
FOUNDER
& DIRECTOR, BELMO
GROUP
One of the savviest private corporate operators in the management rights space, Ben made a name for himself with several astute acquisitions through his company Prestige Residential, which recently rebranded as Belmo Group. ResortBrokers transacted the group’s off-the-plan purchase of the 135-apartment Quay and 124-apartment Isle, Mirvac’s latest luxury high-rises in Brisbane, and the 46-apartment Oceans Mooloolaba, the only AAA-rated five-star resort in Mooloolaba, which set a new record for a Sunshine Coast management rights sale in 2023. Ben has a sharp eye for premium assets in prime locations and an instinctive understanding of the guest experience that turns great properties into standout destinations.
JOHN MAHONEY
FOUNDING PARTNER, MAHONEYS
It’s very hard to imagine the healthy place the management rights industry is in today without John. One of the forefathers of the industry, the veteran management rights lawyer’s vision and guidance have helped shaped the sector and protected it from outside attacks. His advocacy and input into key management rights legislation is widely recognised throughout the industry, and his longstanding commitment to the sector was recognised in 2023 when he received a Lifetime of Service Award from the industry’s peak body ARAMA, where he’s been a board member since 2015.
Another key Mahoneys’ lawyer is Amy O’Donnell. A Mahoneys’ partner since 2020, O’Donnell got her start in management rights law in the late 1990s and today is the industry’s most senior female legal practitioner. Over the decades, ResortBrokers has had the pleasure of working with John, Amy and the team at Mahoneys on countless management rights transactions.
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SUE FAIRWEATHER
ROD MUNRO
IHG is one of the top three hotel operators in Australia. Appointed in 2022, Emma drives the performance of IHG’s more than 30 branded hotels including Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Voco, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express, across Australasia and the Pacific. She’s also deputy chair of Accommodation Australia, a division representing hotels within peak industry body the Australian Hotels Association. Prior to IHG, Hynes spent eight years with TFE Hotels in Melbourne and Canberra.
EXECUTIVE GENERAL MANAGER, ULTIQA HOTELS & RESORTS
ULTIQA’S incredible expansion across the Gold Coast is due in no small part to Sue who sets the tone for the properties and ensures guest service is top notch by working directly with managers. The South African-owned private hotel operator first made a splash on the Gold Coast when it launched ULTIQA Air at Broadbeach 15 years ago. Since then, ULTIQA has raised the bar with every subsequent property in its growing portfolio across the Gold Coast, Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and Fiji — many of them purchased through ResortBrokers.
MANAGING DIRECTOR, BWH HOTELS AUSTRALASIA
Since taking the helm as Managing Director of BWH Hotels Australasia in 2023, Rod has been entrusted with an ambitious mandate: to expand the group’s footprint across Australia and New Zealand to more than 100 hotels. Under his leadership, BWH has been steadily advancing toward that goal, with a clear focus on strategic growth and strengthening the brand’s regional presence. In recent years, notable additions such as Best Western Adelaide Airport, along with several SureStay properties, have joined BWH’s stable.
BRENDAN TUTT
FOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR, TESSA GROUP
Brendan heads this Queensland property company which has an impressive $2 billion portfolio of assets under management, including many acquired via ResortBrokers. Tessa holds multiple management rights across the Sunshine State, from Townsville to the Gold Coast, representing tens of millions in premium assets. Brendan’s profile wouldn’t be complete without mentioning his wingman, Kurt Swenson, another founding director of Tessa.
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TRENT FRASER
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, CHOICE HOTELS ASIA-PAC
Trent has overseen significant growth for Choice Hotels in Australia and New Zealand, leading the Asia-Pacific division of one of the world’s largest hotel groups. Choice Hotels International operates 22 brands and more than 7,400 properties globally, including around 170 across Australia and New Zealand. Under Trent’s leadership, the company has strengthened its presence while maintaining a franchise model widely regarded as one of the most supportive in the sector. Choice balances the scale and systems of a global brand with a practical, collaborative approach, ensuring franchisees invest where returns make sense. In 2023, the group expanded further with the off-market acquisition of the City Edge portfolio (transacted by ResortBrokers), doubling its Melbourne portfolio and adding 271 apartments across five locations.
CLEIGHTON & STEELE CLARK
MANAGING DIRECTOR / DIRECTOR, HABITAT DEVELOPMENT GROUP
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Brothers Cleighton and Steele have helped redefine the Sunshine Coast through some of the coolest projects in the urban development space. In 2022, Habitat opened its first residential complex in the emerging $2.5 billion Maroochydore City Centre Priority Development Area (PDA): the 152-apartment Market Lane Residences. In 2024, Habitat commenced another Maroochydore PDA residential complex, the 158-apartment The Corso. In 2025, Habitat engaged ResortBrokers to bring the management rights of Market Lane Residences and The Corso to market. Habitat continues to be a significant player on the Sunshine Coast where it’s one of the few construction groups to have succeeded in getting developments off the ground.
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LACHLAN HOSWELL
MANAGING DIRECTOR AUSTRALASIA, RADISSON HOTEL GROUP
MICHAEL SONG
FOUNDER & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, CLLIX APARTMENT AND HOTELS
Within the short space of 12 years, Michael has built a management rights empire. He bought his first management rights in 2014 and today operates one of the largest management rights portfolios in the country through his company CLLIX Apartments and Hotels. CLLIX has dozens of properties across Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast (many acquired through ResortBrokers), including trophy assets such as Brisbane Skytower, the Queensland capital’s tallest building.
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Since joining Radisson in 2022, following an 11-year stint as general counsel and chief commercial officer at Minor Hotels, Lachie has been driving the hotel giant’s expansion across our region. The 117-yearold Radisson has an international footprint of more than 1,700 hotels, yet its presence in Australasia has historically been limited to a handful of properties. Lachie is now well on the way to changing that. In 2024, he pulled off something of a coup with Radisson Blu Hotel in Port Moresby, a project ResortBrokers’ executive coach Peter Barge (mentioned above) is consulting on. Another strategic addition was Canterbury International Hotel in Melbourne, which now operates under the Radisson Individuals brand. ResortBrokers worked on many deals with Lachie during his previous roles, so we know firsthand that he’s one of the best in the business at getting deals done.
ANDREW BULLOCK
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, 1834 HOTELS
Andrew has spent more than two decades with 1834 Hotels, including the past 18 years as CEO, helping transform the Adelaide-based company into one of Australia’s leading white-label hotel management operators. The group now works with a nationwide portfolio of hotels, motels, resorts and serviced apartments, with a reputation for delivering great F&B and distinctive guest experiences — areas that can often be difficult for operators to execute well. Rather than imposing a corporate stamp, 1834’s approach centres on elevating the individual identity of each property, ensuring guest experience comes first. Highly engaged in the sector, Andrew also contributes to the industry as treasurer of Accommodation Australia.
SAM GARDNER
DIRECTOR, GARDNER VAUGHAN GROUP
As head of Brisbane developer Gardner Vaughan Group (GVG), Sam distinguished himself with several award-winning, sustainably designed buildings that challenged convention and set new benchmarks for the industry. Among the company’s standout projects is Renovaré, a 159-apartment complex in the inner-city suburb of Yeronga, which won the Medium Density category at the 2023 UDIA Queensland Awards. Another landmark project is Monterey in Kangaroo Point — an 11-storey, 20-apartment boutique development — which holds the distinction of being Australia’s tallest residential tower constructed from timber. ResortBrokers successfully sold the management rights for both buildings, along with several other GVG developments.
Adam identified a gap in industry media for urban development, then leveraged his two decades’ worth of property experience and relationships to fill that gap with The Urban Developer. Launched in 2014, ‘TUD’ has grown into Australia’s largest and most engaged community for urban development professionals through its curated suite of events, webinars, awards and industry news. TUD’s news portal is a must-read for anyone in the accommodation sector’s development space, and we simply cannot imagine the industry without it. 31
ADAM DI MARCO
FOUNDER & PUBLISHER, THE URBAN DEVELOPER
33
IRFAN KURESHI
DIRECTOR, INFINITIVE FINANCE SOLUTIONS
32
CHARLOTTE VIDOR AM
TOGA GROUP
In 1963, wife and husband Charlotte and Ervin Vidor, with Tony Stillone, started the company that would become TOGA Group. Today, the group’s portfolio includes TFE Hotels, which operates approximately 80 hotels across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Europe under well-known brands such as Adina Hotels, A by Adina, Vibe Hotels, Rendezvous Hotels, Travelodge, Quincy and Collection by TFE Hotels.
JONATHAN DREW
MANAGING DIRECTOR, DREW GROUP
Jonathan recognised the potential in a revitalised Main Beach on the Gold Coast at a time when many others saw little more than tumbleweeds. His flagship development, Lagoon — located just off Tedder Avenue — is a prestige residential complex featuring 259 apartments across twin towers. In 2025, Drew Group engaged ResortBrokers to sell the off-the-plan management rights to Lagoon, marking another milestone for the project. Jonathan continues to pioneer new developments as head of the eponymous, family owned and operated Drew Group, which since 1982 has delivered numerous apartment residences and hotels across Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
Without doubt, Irfan has been the most active individual in the motel space for the past 24 to 36 months. A 20-year banking and finance expert, Irfan has arranged finance for the purchase of over 130 accommodation assets in the last three years through his company Infinitive Finance Solutions. After investing in a leasehold motel himself with a family member, Irfan couldn’t believe the great returns, free-living advantages and tax benefits. He then started recommending to his clients to move from F&B and branded petrol station franchises into accommodation. Irfan has been responsible for introducing more first-timers into the motel industry than anyone else in recent times — many of those deals have been transacted through ResortBrokers.
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ERIN MCLEOD
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AUSTRALIAN TOURISM INDUSTRY COUNCIL
As CEO since 2022, Erin leads the national representative body for tourism regions, industry associations and businesses throughout Australia. A 20-year tourism industry veteran, Erin joined ATIC in 2016, first as national manager, then as general manager and now as CEO. Read our interview with her on ATIC’s Star Rating system (p38).
DARRYL COURTNEYO’CONNOR AM
FOUNDER, CONSTELLATION HOTELS
Darryl left his footprint in the accommodation space when he founded Constellation Hotels in 1986 with just 12 motels. By the time Constellation was acquired by SilverNeedle Hospitality in 2011, Darryl had grown it five times over with more than 60 hotels across Australia and New Zealand under popular brands such as Chifley, Australis Resorts, Country Comfort and Alpha Hotels & Resorts. Darryl is still heavily involved in hospitality via the International College of Management, a leading educator in the sector which he founded in 1996.
A relative latecomer in the hotel space, Grant started his professional career in radio. His dulcet tones still command attention as head of The Cassidy Group, which he founded in 2001 and grew into a sizeable portfolio of regional Queensland properties. ResortBrokers has had the privilege of transacting many of Grant’s assets, including two of his largest, The Edge Apartment Hotel and Empire Apartment Hotel, in Rockhampton. In 2024, Belmo Group picked up the rights for more than $10 million, representing the largest ever management rights transaction for a regional location. 37
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TREVOR RAWNSLEY
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, ARAMA
Trevor has been the management rights industry’s greatest champion and strongest advocate as CEO of the Australian Resident Accommodation Manager’s Association (ARAMA) for the last 15 years. Over that time, he’s championed the interests of management rights stakeholders both inside and outside government circles, staving off attacks on the industry from various quarters. Trevor is currently heading a special interest group to promote psychologically safe spaces within strata-titled communities, which you can read about in our feature (p32).
GRANT CASSIDY OAM
MANAGING DIRECTOR, THE CASSIDY GROUP
SARAH ANDREWS
GENERAL MANAGER, ANDREWS PROJECTS
Sarah has spent over 10 years growing the family business started by her father, Danny, a licensed builder who founded Andrews Projects to pursue his passion for innovative and quality lifestyle developments. Andrews’ latest project is Cascade Gold Coast, a premium residential complex set across two modern 15-storey midrise towers on the Gold Coast. In 2025, Andrews engaged ResortBrokers to sell the off-the-plan management rights to Cascade.
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DAVID TOOMEY
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, DELTINE CAPITAL
David only entered the motel space in late 2014 through his investment company Deltine Capital but has grand ambitions to become Australia’s largest owned and operated motel chain within the next five years. We’ve no doubt David’s star will continue to rise as Deltine moves rapidly towards its goal. Read more about David in our Faces of the Industry feature (p50).
DENNIS CLARK
FOUNDING DIRECTOR, HOTEL INTERIORS
With over 35 years’ experience designing and installing custom interiors for countless hotels, Dennis literally knows hotels from the inside out. A magnificently flamboyant, larger-than-life personality, Dennis has worked with some of the most recognised hotel brands in the world, across Asia Pacific, UAE and Africa. Dennis’ trademark hair, which has graced the inside cover of Informer for many years, has earned him the nickname within ResortBrokers as the “Don King of the hotel furniture business.” He’s been Informer’s biggest supporter for many, many years — and our list of the great and the good wouldn’t be complete without him! END
From the rat race and hamster wheel to selfemployed liberation — new moteliers Alex and Mark show how to do it
Words_John Miller
MAKE ROOM FOR GEN TIKTOK
For the past couple of years, couple Alex Mengual, 29, and Mark Matula, 30, have been documenting their experiences as young moteliers on social media. First on Instagram, then on TikTok.
Their followers have been given glimpses into the couple’s day-to-day running of their motel in Nanango, Queensland — the 15-key Copper Country Motor Inn — all delivered with the unbridled enthusiasm and good humour of main presenter, Alex.
“At the start, I just thought it would be fun,” says Alex. “People post renovation content all the time, so I thought it would be a bit of fun to document our journey renovating a motel. I was surprised to find no one else had done it before!”
Fifty thousand followers later, the couple’s social media has developed into an interactive forum where Alex asks her audience for input into design and decor choices for the couple’s extensive motel renovations.
“People love helping make choices,” says Alex. “I want to know, ‘If you were staying at our motel, what would you want?’ I know what I would want, but I’m only one person. So, I want that answer from the masses.”
“When I asked for help to pick a design for my compendium, I had 146 comments … people gave me their
preferences or told me why they preferred this over that. Their collective feedback helped me make an informed choice.”
“IT’S HARD WORK, BUT IT’S NOT A PARTICULARLY HARD JOB. IF WE CAN DO IT, OTHERS CAN TOO.”
Originally from Sydney, Alex and Mark got their start in the motel industry in 2022 through a chance conversation with the owners of a motel in Moruya on NSW’s far south coast. At the time, Alex, was juggling several jobs with events coordination being her mainstay. She was also working parttime at a coffee shop, and driving down the coast from Sydney every weekend to shop her wares at local markets.
Mark, a muso at heart, also had several jobs: landscaping, carpentry and sound recording for the music industry (he now combines his skills to make bespoke guitars for select clients). The Moruya motel owners were scrambling for somebody to run it for them. When
Alex casually floated the idea of her and Mark doing it, the owners grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
“We’d been wanting to move out of Sydney for about a year before this,” says Mark. “Our biggest issue was housing and getting a job. This motel was both housing and a job, plus the perks of having a place where you didn’t have to pay rent, electricity and all that. It just sounded good. It was a lot of work, but it was our own work.”
“Running a motel is hard work, for sure,” adds Alex. “It’s 24/7. I know I make it look fun on social media … and it definitely is fun … but it’s a lot of work too. The trade-off is that all the hard work you put in is for yourself. You get to see the reward at the end.”
After two successful years in Moruya, the couple were sold on the motel game and looking to go out on their own. They had amassed a healthy nest egg thanks to free living that saw the bulk of their pay cheque go into their own pocket. They found Copper Country Motor Inn on ResortBrokers’ website and bought the leasehold through our Queensland agent David Faiers in 2024.
comes, even if it’s not the ideal time, you’ve got to take it. We got offered our first motel the week before our wedding and the owner wanted us to start pretty much immediately. It was definitely not ideal! We wanted to travel, to go on a honeymoon. But you just have to seize the opportunity when it comes, even if it’s uncomfortable.”
“WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY COMES, EVEN IF IT’S NOT THE IDEAL TIME, YOU’VE GOT TO TAKE IT.”
Business has been remarkable. Due to the couple’s hard work they’ve achieved between 90 and 100% occupancy, mainly from tradies, travelling businessmen and truck drivers. They have also revived the motel’s 60seat restaurant, which the previous operators closed in 2019, with most bookings coming from town locals.
Says Alex, “For two years, people were like, ‘When are you reopening the restaurant?’ We needed to find the right people who were committed, and now have two amazing chefs.”
For these TikTokers, making the jump to self-employed moteliers is all about timing. Opportunities are to be seized upon.
“First, you have to put yourself out there to try to get opportunities,” says Alex. “Then, when the opportunity
“So, we got married, went home the next day, packed up our entire home and drove down to Moruya.”
“It was a big life decision, and it wasn’t six months away,” adds Mark. “It was now. For five years before this, we were working our arses off. Both of us had been working seven days a week for years. We wanted to start a family, but we couldn’t see ourselves doing it in Sydney. Working seven days a week wasn’t going to work for us. So when the opportunity came up, we were like, ‘We’ve been talking about this forever, let’s do it.’ The hardest thing is taking the jump into it, not actually doing it.”
“It’s a big scary thing at the beginning,” says Alex. “You just need to get over that initial hurdle. It’s not like running a motel is a job that’s out of reach for most people … you don’t have to study for a degree to do it …. it’s hard work but
“PEOPLE LIKE ROOTING FOR THE LITTLE GUY AND GETTING BEHIND SMALL BUSINESSES.”
it’s not a particularly hard job. If we can do it, others can too.”
with a fulltime job working for someone else.”
Since establishing themselves in Nanango, Alex and Mark have started a family and now have two kids in tow — the youngest still at home, the eldest in day care. The couple, who have been an item since they were teenagers, appreciate the flexibility running a motel gives them.
“If we’d gone down the normal path then our kids would have gone into daycare nine-to-five from the age of three or six months,” says Alex. “We’d both have to work a fulltime job. But with a motel, we love being able to have everyone at home most of the time.”
“I love that we’re together all day,” adds Mark. “There’s a lot of tag teaming with our kids and a lot to juggle, but I can stop work at 3 o’clock to pick up our kid in daycare. I wouldn’t be able to do that
As for social media, the couple’s top post has over 800,000 views, but Alex says it’s more about sharing their journey rather than generating business for the motel.
“I think the era of TikTok now is people don’t want to be sold on things,” she says. “People just want to see other people’s lives, it’s just fun. You see accounts of other businesses that are just showing their rooms and basically saying, ‘Book with us.’ But people connect with people on a journey. If you want to engage your audience, you need to be a bit more vulnerable, you need to show yourself, you need to show your journey, not just the product. People like rooting for the little guy, people like getting behind small businesses.” END
MAD AS HELL
… and ARAMA’s CEO isn’t going to take it anymore. Nor should you.
Words_John Miller
As ARAMA CEO for the last 15 years, Trevor Rawnsley has the benefit of perspective. Over the time he has headed the management rights industry’s peak body, he has noticed a disturbing decline in how apartment owners engage with committees, caretakers, strata managers — and each other. Some of that behaviour crosses the line into bullying and harassment, an issue Rawnsley is trying to do something about.
“It’s a society wide problem, especially since Covid,” he says. “Unfortunately, we’re now living in an unkinder world. There isn’t a hospital or retail store that doesn’t have a display sign about bullying and harassment. Strata is no exception and might even be worse. When people live side by side and on top of one another, it tends to amplify disputes. With houses there’s metres between owners, in strata there’s inches. When people live cheek by jowl, there are simply more disputes. Those disputes can sometimes turn toxic and manifest as bullying and harassment. So ARAMA decided to take a stand. We have a duty of care to protect our workers and there’s legal precedent that establishes that common areas in a strata title community is a workplace covered by work health and safety laws.”
Two years ago, Rawnsley put together a special interest group to attack the issue head on. The group is a collective of stakeholders in the body corporate space: three apartment owners, two body corporate managers and a caretaker (ARAMA National President Guy Elliott). Rawnsley formed the group after hearing countless complaints from caretakers about how they were being treated by lot owners.
He sought the counsel of Queensland’s Body Corporate and Community Management Commissioner, Jane Wilson. Her suggestion was to concentrate on creating psychologically safe communities.
“Commissioner Wilson was really great in focussing our attention on positive outcomes instead of examining bullying and harassment and other negative behaviours,” says Rawnsley.
The special interest group settled on trying to nip unacceptable conduct in the bud at one of strata’s main pain points: committee and general meetings.
“We see most of the bad behaviour at this level,” says Rawnsley. “There’s bullying and harassment that goes on around
the grounds and in the caretaker’s office, but it goes to the next level at committee and general meetings where it’s on for young and old. So much so that they have to have security guards in these meetings. Not all the aggression is directed toward caretakers. While caretakers are a visible and easy target, there’s just as much anger directed toward strata managers, committee members and even unit owners by other unit owners.”
“If you want to get psychological about it, it’s Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Shelter is one of our basic human needs. People can get emotionally triggered when they think their home is being threatened. That can often result in bullying and harassment, even retribution."
“‘THIS PERSON HAS DONE ME WRONG, SO I WILL GIVE IT BACK TO THEM WITH INTEREST.’ ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU HAVE LAWYERS AT 10 PACES.”
“IT’S FOR THIS REASON WE MADE THE DELIBERATE DECISION NOT TO INCLUDE A LAWYER IN OUR SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP. BECAUSE IT’S NOT A LEGAL MATTER; IT’S AN INTERPERSONAL MATTER. IT’S PEOPLE BEING NASTY TO PEOPLE.”
To tackle the problem at its source, the special interest group settled on a Statement of Intent (see right). Launched in August 2025, the Statement of Intent is designed to be read aloud by the chairperson before the start of each committee or general meeting.
“It’s meant to set the rules of engagement at body corporate meetings,” says Rawnsley. “Even if those at the meeting don’t agree with each other, they can at least agree to disagree in a respectful way. The Statement of Intent is really a motherhood statement. It shouldn’t be necessary, but it is. If you have a chairperson at the start of every meeting who says, ‘The first item on our agenda is our Statement of Intent. Does everyone agree with this?’ Then it’s the meeting setting its own rules.”
“IF MEETINGS ARE CONDUCTED PROFESSIONALLY, LOT OWNERS MIGHT BE ENCOURAGED TO VOLUNTEER THEMSELVES.”
“Something as simple as a Statement of Intent can lead to a more professional, more psychologically safe meeting process. The special interest group felt that if we could get the meeting process sorted, that would go a long way towards repressing bad behaviour.”
A related initiative is ARAMA’s Mental Health Assistance Program (AMAP).
Launched during Covid in mid 2020, AMAP is a free service for ARAMA members to receive up to three counselling sessions per year with a professional psychologist to help them to deal with bad behaviour experienced in the course of their strata work.
“It’s for caretakers who come to our office or ring us up and say, ‘I’ve had enough. I’m being bullied and harassed. Residents are knocking on my door at night. I can’t cope. I need a lawyer.’
We say, ‘Perhaps it’s not a lawyer you need but a psychologist.’”
“The problem we see all too often and escalating as society becomes meaner are committees harassing caretakers to force them to sell. Caretakers
have alerted us to personal threats they’ve received as well as attempts to terminate caretaking agreements and generally make their lives hell, so that a committee can install another manager or give it to a family member or do it themselves.”
As for the Statement of Intent, Rawnsley’s hope is that it will lead to better committees and in turn better strata communities.
“If good, reasonable lot owners see meetings are being conducted in a professional, polite and orderly fashion they might be encouraged to volunteer for committee service themselves,” he says. “When they see the opposite, they’re repulsed by it. It deters them from attending meetings and/or volunteering for committee service.”
“With the Statement of Intent, we’re saying, if you have a problem in your scheme this is a good place to start, particularly at the meeting. That’s the simple message I want to get out there. It’ll take time. But it’s an evolution not a revolution.” END
STATEMENT OF INTENT
“We, the attendees at this meeting, understand and agree that respect is our common ground. We agree to listen to each other and not engage in personal attacks, even when we don’t agree. We commit to respectful interactions with each other and to leave any disagreements behind in the meeting room.”
SOUTHERN
Our broker Sarah Hutchins shares her insider perspective on the accommodation property market across South Coast NSW.
Sarah serves ResortBrokers’ clients in one of Australia’s most stunningly gorgeous regions. Based in the Mollymook–Ulladulla area, Sarah’s territory stretches south as far as Batemans Bay, north to Shellharbour and inland to the Southern Highlands and Goulburn.
With such a diverse and highly desirable zone, it’s little surprise buyers are lining up to secure opportunities here. In this Q&A, Sarah offers her insight on buyer profiles, current market conditions and how vendors can get the most out of them.
SARAH,
YOU
REPRESENT
RESORTBROKERS IN ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. ARE WE ENTITLED TO BE A LITTLE ENVIOUS?
You are [laughs]. We’re pretty blessed where we live. I always feel so grateful when I’ve been away to come back home. Where we live is like a country town but on the coast.
It’s not overdeveloped like north of Sydney where high-rises dominate. Where we live, it still has that untouched country town holiday feel about it.
BUYERS ARE ATTRACTED FOR THE SAME REASONS?
They are. The market is hot right now. I’ve got so many buyers at the moment. Other than the obvious attractions — the gorgeous beaches and great weather — lifestyle is a big thing here. And that’s true whether you’re a big corporate player or a family operator. We’ve got some pretty big buyers in my area, but I’m seeing a lot of newcomers as well. People who may be a little tired of their corporate life, who are looking for a change and want to work for themselves.
They come here on holidays and think, ‘Hmm, what could we do down here?’ I can’t think of a better business than the accommodation business, especially in this neck of the woods.
IF SOMEONE WAS LOOKING TO SELL, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THEM?
Be thoroughly prepared. In the current market, buyers are very savvy and need information. It’s not just a matter of engaging a broker and saying, ‘Here’s my property, just sell it.’
That just won’t wash in the current market. The best way for vendors to achieve market value or better in the current market is by having all their financial and other information as up to date as possible.
That’s so they can be as transparent as possible with buyers so that a deal doesn’t fall apart in due diligence.
In short, engage industry experts and have the best quality information to help transactions go smoothly with buyers.
SARAH’S BEST SALES & LISTINGS
SARAH HUTCHINS BROKER, SOUTH COAST NSW
COMFORT
WHAT ARE BUYERS LOOKING FOR IN AN ACCOMMODATION ASSET?
Each buyer is different. But generally speaking they’re after good locations and good returns. Neither is hard to find in my zone.
Something to bear in mind about this part of the coast is that it’s still very tourism based. You have your peak season and quieter season.
That scares some people because obviously with peaks and troughs you have to manage financially throughout the year.
But others see it as a good thing because it enables them to have a break. The winter period is their downtime when they can either go on a little holiday themselves or do maintenance and upgrades to get ready for the summer ahead.
That said, the market isn’t as seasonal as it once was. It used to be dead quiet down here come winter.
But it’s not like that anymore. We now have visitors coming at all times of year, especially grey nomads who travel while everybody else isn’t.
WHERE’S BUYER INTEREST COMING FROM?
I have many buyers out of Sydney, including a lot of big players. In the 40-plus rooms space, I have plenty of buyers.
Traditionally, Sydneysiders have gone north, but in the last couple of decades they’ve really discovered the South Coast.
The Mollymook–Ulladulla area where I live and further south has substantially grown in popularity with Sydneysiders.
We’ve also seen a massive influx of young people, especially since Covid. Mollymook–Ulladulla is very much the older generation who have holiday homes and retired here and their kids went to school here.
In the past, those kids left for Sydney or Canberra when they finished school. But many aren’t doing that anymore. They’re sticking around.
We’re also seeing a lot of Sydneysiders who once favoured coastal destinations north of Sydney like Toukley, Terrigal, Forster and Shoal Bay for their holidays. Nowadays, a lot of them come south because the north is very commercialised.
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
QUEST NOWRA NOWRA
JINDY INN JINDABYNE
REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT_SOUTH COAST NSW
WHERE ELSE IS BUYER INTEREST COMING OTHER THAN SYDNEY?
I have some Canberra buyers. Some from Victoria too. Merimbula in particular is very popular with Victorians. Queenslanders not so much because we’re a more expensive market to what they can secure up there.
For Canberrans, Batemans Bay was where they would once go when they went to the South Coast. It’s only an hour and a half from Canberra. We used to say it’s another suburb of Canberra. If they had a holiday home, that’s where it would be.
But Batemans Bay isn’t as sleepy as it used to be. There’s a lot of Canberra developers in Batemans Bay building high-rises and other large scale projects.
So, Canberrans have branched out a little further now.
YOU WORKED IN RESIDENTIAL
REAL
ESTATE FOR OVER A DECADE. WHAT’S THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE?
Chalk and cheese. Ressie can be very emotional. You’re dealing with people who generally purchase once every 10-15 years or so. So every purchase/ sale is quite a big deal and generally very emotional.
You’re dealing with a lot of things that are happening in their life, whether they’re buying a bigger house because their family is expanding or a death or marriage breakup.
There’s always something behind a purchase or sale in ressie. I used to say, ‘You don’t really sell houses, you’re really managing people and their emotions.’
But with commercial real estate, it’s more about the numbers. It’s more of a transaction based on income and profit rather than an emotional connection to the property
EVEN WITH SMALL FAMILY OPERATORS?
For mum-and-dad operators, it’s more about the blood, sweat and tears of what they’ve put into the business.
By the time they’re ready to sell, they’re just ready to get out, whether it’s to take a break or to set themselves up for the next opportunity. And they’re grateful for what you can do to help them achieve that.
So in my opinion, it’s completely different. Ressie and commercial are two separate worlds. I enjoyed my time in ressie, but at this stage of my career commercial appeals to me more. END
SOUTH COAST RETREAT GREENWELL POINT
TERRALONG TERRACE APARTMENTS KIAMA
MOLLYMOOK OCEAN VIEW MOLLYMOOK
PAMBULA MERIMBULA GOLF CLUB CLUBHOUSE PAMBULA
0407 020 443
Harbour View Serviced Apartments delivers exceptional returns with 88-90% year-round occupancy across 11 well-appointed suites in central Ulladulla.
A brand new 10-year lease provides outstanding tenure security, while the turnkey operation requires no immediate capital outlay.
Capturing both corporate and leisure markets, the business benefits from strong OTA ratings and clear tariff growth potential. Strategically positioned on the thriving NSW South Coast.
• Runs as consistent 88-90% occupancy year-round
• Brand new 10-year leasehold term providing secure tenure
• Attracts both business and leisure guests across diverse market segments
• Turnkey operation in excellent condition requiring no immediate capital expenditure
• Central Ulladulla location with strong acccess to South Coast demand drivers
• Clear upside potential to increase tariffs inline with market rates
• Well-maintained property with modern facilites include EV charging stations
STAR POWER
In an era dominated by online guest ratings, the Australian Tourism Industry Council advocates its official Star Ratings system offers a crucial point of difference.
Words_John Miller
Of Australia’s more than 9,000 accommodation businesses, around 1,300 participate in the official Star Ratings program.
The Australian Tourism Industry Council (ATIC), the national peak body for the industry, says participation numbers have remained steady since it took over administration of the program in 2017, even as many accommodation operators increasingly use aggregated guest ratings from platforms such as Google, Expedia, Tripadvisor and Booking.com.
“You might get several properties with five-star consumer ratings, but it’s not a clear indication of the facilities and services a guest can expect. A consumer rating focuses more on the subjective experience than on the combination of services and facilities expected for that category.”
This is where the official Star Ratings system excels.
“Our system compares like with like,” says McLeod. “If you’re comparing a five-star hotel to another five-star
“OUR POINT OF DIFFERENCE IS THAT WE’RE A THIRD-PARTY INDEPENDENT AUDIT BASED ON OBJECTIVE
“Our point of difference from those who use self-ratings (properties that have assessed their own standards) or consumer ratings is that we’re a third-party independent audit based on objective criteria,” says ATIC Chief Executive Officer Erin McLeod.
McLeod emphasises that consumer reviews have a legitimate and valuable place in the industry but their subjectivity can sometimes distort expectations.
“Consumer ratings of shared experiences and feedback have a very valid, worthwhile spot in our industry,” she says. “But that can come with bias. It can also come with inaccuracies.”
Some of those inaccuracies are simply absurd. McLeod recalls being told by an accommodation provider in Orange they received a one-star online review because the guest “couldn’t see the beach.” (Orange, located in NSW’s Central Tablelands, is several hundred kilometres from the coast.)
With consumer ratings, McLeod says different types of accommodation can appear equivalent despite offering vastly different facilities.
CRITERIA.”
hotel, you have very clear expectations of the experience you should be getting. There are very clear delineations with our system.”
The Star Ratings system covers six accommodation categories: hotels, motels, serviced apartments, hosted accommodation, caravan holiday parks and self-catering properties. Ratings run from one to five stars, including half-star gradations.
While consumers know what to expect from an officially Star Rated accommodation business, mismatched expectations remain common with the unofficial consumer system.
“The number one complaint we get from travellers is that they’ve visited a property promoting itself as four- or five-stars based on consumer reviews, but it doesn’t meet the expectations of that unofficial rating,” says McLeod. “Visitors expect a certain standard because of how the business promotes itself, and that standard isn’t always met.”
The Star Ratings system has existed in Australia since the 1960s. Before ownership of the program was
FEATURE 40
transferred to ATIC, it was operated for many years by Australian Motoring Services, the umbrella body of Australia’s motoring clubs (such as RACV, NRMA and RACQ).
ATIC owns both the Star Ratings program and its underlying standards. The council licenses delivery of the program to each state and territory’s tourism industry council.
An accommodation business in, say, Queensland — where around 250 operators are signed up to the Star Ratings system — would be audited by an assessor working for the Queensland Tourism Industry Council.
“The arrangement allows us to set and oversee the standard while separating ourselves from those who administer it,” explains McLeod.
“There’s a third-party auditing process, which aligns with the expectation that the body setting the standards should sit apart from those enforcing them.”
In Australia, Star Ratings are a protected trademark. If an accommodation business promotes a star rating it doesn’t officially hold with
Star Ratings Australia, ATIC may pursue trademark breaches.
“Most accommodation operators aren’t intending to do the wrong thing,” says McLeod. “Usually, they’re simply unaware Star Ratings are trademarked.”
ATIC will contact accommodation businesses who are in breach of its trademark as a matter of course. The small number of businesses who remain in breach may be fined or incur other costs by needing to remove signage or other marketing materials.
“We’ll reach out to them in the first instance,” says McLeod. “If we don’t get any response or an unwillingness, then we’ll go down the legal path and issue a cease-and-desist letter. We’ll progress from there if needed, but that’s only five or six times a year.”
“But really we want to work with these businesses. The Australian Tourism Industry Council is all about helping to lift standards industry-wide.”
To its credit, ATIC does not have its head in the sand when it comes to online reviews. It has embraced the role online reviews play in the tourist
“WE’RE ALL ABOUT HELPING TO LIFT STANDARDS INDUSTRY-WIDE, SO WE REALLY WANT TO WORK WITH BUSINESSES.”
industry and is actively equipping Star Ratings members with tools to help them manage those reviews.
One such tool is Shiji ReviewPro Reputation, which accommodation businesses get for free when they sign up for the Star Ratings program. ReviewPro Reputation is an online tool that brings together guest reviews from more than 80 different sources from around the world. Since its inception in 2009, the independently owned, China-based ReviewPro Reputation has become one of the most widely used online reputation management systems in the hotel tech space.
“It’s an absolutely fantastic tool for businesses,” says McLeod. “ReviewPro Reputation brings in all the feedback from the different review sites to which operators can respond via the platform. So instead of having to log into multiple different sites, they can do it all from ReviewPro Reputation.”
ReviewPro Reputation gives businesses a score from 0 to 100 on a Global Review Index (GRI), a metric available exclusively to users.
“The GRI gives them a sense of where their consumer rating is and also helps them identify some common trends in guest feedback so they can improve their product. In the end, the Australian Tourism Industry Council is all about business development. Our partnership with Shiji ReviewPro Reputation helps with that.”
ATIC is also working with online travel agencies (OTAs) to improve the accuracy of consumer ratings.
“We’re actively trying to work with the OTAs to help verify the information on their sites,” says McLeod. “If they’ve listed a business that has done a self-rating, we’re trying to say to the OTAs: we have a system that can verify that. There’s appetite from the OTAs, but because they’re global organisations and this system is unique to Australia, it can be difficult to bring in processes that are specific to a geographical region.”
In addition to its 5 Star Rating, ATIC annually releases through Star Ratings Australia the “Gold List” that recognises the top 10 accommodation businesses nationally, and in each state and territory, across all categories.
“The Gold List is about celebrating those accommodation businesses that consistently deliver on the expectations of their rating,” says McLeod. “One way we measure that is by looking at how highly they rank with customers across different platforms. It’s a celebration of businesses that are achieving really great things. That’s what we’re about.” END
MAKE IT OFFICIAL
How the Star Ratings Process Works
STEP 1
JOIN THE QUALITY TOURISM FRAMEWORK
All accommodation businesses seeking a Star Rating must first register for the Quality Tourism Framework and gain Quality Tourism accreditation.
“That’s just making sure they have sound business principles around risk, business operating systems, marketing, human resources and environmental practices,” says McLeod.
STEP 2
COMPLETE THE STAR RATING PRE-ASSESSMENT
“If you know your business really well you can complete the online questionnaire within an hour,” says McLeod. “It’s quite easy to go through. Once you’ve completed that, you get a preliminary Star Rating you can use in any sort of digital promotion before you receive your official rating.”
STEP 3
SITE VISIT
An assessor from the relevant state/territory tourism industry council will visit the business to carry out the official assessment.
“It’s not a mystery visit,” says McLeod. “They let the business know they’re coming.”
STEP 4
OFFICIAL RATING
After the site visit, the business receives its official Star Rating.
COST
Varies business to business but the initial payment can cost as little as $300 followed by an annual renewal fee at the same rate.
COMING IN JUNE MOTEL REPORT 2026
MORE DATA
DEEPER INSIGHTS
GREATER ANALYSIS
The definitive benchmark for the national motel industry continues to evolve.
Due to overwhelming interest in last year’s report, spaces for this year's launch event are limited, so be sure to secure your spot when registrations open.
PRAISE FOR LAST YEAR’S REPORT
DAVID TOOMEY
FOUNDER & CEO, DELTINE CAPITAL
“When I first began analysing the motel sector two years ago, there was very little reliable information on transaction yields over time. Yield data is a critical metric for investors, providing insight into returns, valuation trends and how market pricing moves through cycles. Having this information available, particularly by region and asset type, greatly improves the quality of investment analysis. The work ResortBrokers is doing to compile and share this data via its annual Motel Report is an important contribution to the industry and a valuable resource for attracting further investment into the sector.”
JORDAN HAYES
DIRECTOR, KNIGHT FRANK VALUATION & ADVISORY QUEENSLAND
“As a professional operating within the broader going concern / accommodation industry, it has been particularly useful to have access to RB Research’s report that provides such depth of analysis of the market. As individual operators, it is always difficult to get a full grasp of the scale and broader market trends, so a centralised point of information has been particularly insightful. Look forward to seeing the evolution of the trends as the reports continue to evolve.”
IRFAN KURESHI
DIRECTOR, INFINITIVE FINANCE SOLUTIONS
“As a finance broker who’s helped arrange finance for more than 130 first-time buyers entering the motel industry over the past few years, I can confidently say that RB Research’s Motel Report has become a trusted resource. The report’s macro view of the industry provides clear insights into performance trends, demand drivers and broader market conditions. This context helps prospective buyers move beyond individual listings and evaluate opportunities with a deeper understanding of the overall operating environment. It’s a valuable contribution to the sector and a resource I regularly recommend to my clients exploring motel ownership.”
RYAN
DANAHER
HEAD OF ALTERNATE INVESTMENTS, OPTEON
“RB Research’s 2025 Motel Report added significant depth, clarity and confidence to our motel valuations and was very well received across our valuation team. The quality of analysis and presentation provided a robust external reference that meaningfully complemented our internal market intelligence. It was a pleasure to be involved in the first release of the report and to contribute to its development. The report sets a strong benchmark for future publications, and we look forward to subsequent releases and iterations becoming an increasingly valuable industry resource.”
ANNETTE SMITH
STATE DIRECTOR REGIONAL OPERATIONS (NORTH), ACUMENTIS PROPERTY VALUERS
“Motel Report 2025 provides a comprehensive and reliable analysis of Australia’s motel industry. By drawing on extensive sales data, national performance metrics and contributions from respected industry partners, it offers clear insights into how the sector is performing and where it’s heading. The report brings together complex information in an accessible way with over 1,800 sales analysed across freehold, leasehold and passive investments, making it a valuable resource for anyone wanting a deeper understanding of the motel market.”
RESORTBROKERS IN THE NEWS
NORFOLK ISLAND
NORFOLK ISLAND’S LARGEST LANDHOLDING ANCHORED BY LUXURY ECO-LODGE
NORFOLK ISLAND FREEHOLD GOING CONCERN
Set across almost seven hectares atop a dramatic cliff on the island’s south coast, this historic portfolio represents the largest landholding offered to market on Norfolk Island in years.
The dual centrepieces of this unprecedented offering are the seven-key Endeavour Lodge and three-bedroom Rainbows End house — both deliver a deluxe guest experience amid Norfolk’s unspoiled beauty.
This exceptional property is exceedingly easy to run in return for a healthy net profit.
Do not miss this historic opportunity to acquire a manageable luxury eco-lodge and enviable lifestyle in a true paradisical location.
• 7-key Endeavour Lodge, 3-bed Rainbows End plus a 8103sqm vacant parcel of land
• Unparalleled cliff-top location with uninterrupted Pacific Ocean views
• Prime position 5 minutes from main town Burnt Pine, historical sites, golf course and beaches
• 4-star accreditation and TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence
• Vacant land offers flexibility for future expansion or land banking
• Strong occupancy — Endeavour Lodge 78.3%, Rainbows End 70.7%
• Comprehensive infrastructure includes water storage, solar power and aerated wastewater treatment
DAVID FAIERS SENIOR SPECIALIST ACCOMMODATION BROKER, QUEENSLAND
david@resortbrokers.com.au 0432 766 788
• Private 4-bedroom residence on acreage with workshop and commercial laundry
• Established distribution network via online booking portals
Price
Listing Reference
$6,000,000
FH009082
Property Type Freehold Going Concern
Rooms Endeavour Lodge7 self contained apartments Rainbows End3-bedroom cliff-top house with full accommodation licence
AWARD-WINNING 33-ROOM FREEHOLD MOTEL ON 2+ ACRES IN REGIONAL NSW
LEETON, NSW FREEHOLD GOING CONCERN
The Leeton Heritage Motor Inn delivers a rare freehold opportunity combining 33 renovated rooms, over 2 acres of prime central land, and award-winning reputation.
Named "Best Motor Inn Australia 2025," this tightly held asset offers excellent occupancy from diverse drivers including government infrastructure contractors.
The substantial landholding includes a two-bedroom residence and licensed function room, with potential to re-engage hospitality operations or pursue development.
• Tightly held for many years, first time to market in a decade
• Very rare opportunity for 33-room freehold going concern
• Over 2 acres of landholding in prime central position
• Arguably the best motel in the region with excellent occupancy and guest reviews
• RoomPriceGenie only recently introduced and showing very promising results
• Additional rooms added during current tenure
• Many rooms recently renovated
• Opportunity to re-engage F&B operation if desired
ARTIQUE RESORT
RARE SURFERS ‘SUPER RIGHTS’ — TOP-TIER RESORT WITH $1M+ NOP!
Rising 30 storeys, the 4.5-star Artique Resort makes a striking architectural statement on Surfers Paradise’s skyline. Since opening in 2006, Artique has consistently delivered strong returns. In FY25, the business achieved a net operating profit exceeding $1 million, making this one of the largest and most lucrative ‘super rights’ offerings ever to come to market in Surfers.
This premium offering is suited to a sophisticated operator looking to expand their portfolio with a top-tier holiday resort in one of the Gold Coast’s most sought-after short-term accommodation markets.
• Well-established 4.5-star holiday resort
• Iconic 30-storey tower in prime Surfers Paradise location
• $1M+ NOP, supported by BC salary of $358K+
• 20+ years remaining on 25-year Accommodation Module agreements
• 77-apartment letting pool from 176 total apartments
• 2-bed, 2-bath manager’s apartment
• Consistent occupancy over 80% for last 2 years, rising to over 90% during peak season
TRUDY CROOKS MANAGING DIRECTOR
trudy@resortbrokers.com.au 0477 882 210
$7,100,000
Apartments 176 Letting Pool 77 Manager’s Residence 2-bed, 2-bath
BELLE MAISON
nathan.b@resortbrokers.com.au 0412 634 277
COAST, QLD
At 34 storeys, Belle Maison is the Jewel in the Broadbeach skyline, consistently one of Broadbeach’s strongest performers
With a letting pool of 35 from 129 total apartments, this upscale resort delivered an FY25 net operating property exceeding $649,000 underpinned by exceptional occupancy of more than 82%.
Do not miss this incredible opportunity to acquire a top-tier resort in one of the Gold Coast’s best performing holiday markets.
• Well-established 4.5-star holiday resort
• Unmissable 34-storey tower in prime Broadbeach position
• $649K+ NOP supported by $273K+ BC salary
• 35-apartment letting pool from 129 total apartments
• 3-bed, 2-bath manager’s apartment
CROOKS MANAGING DIRECTOR
trudy@resortbrokers.com.au 0477 882 210
THE VALUE
Within five years, Deltine High Yield Motel Fund aims to be Australia’s largest owned and operated motel chain.
It’s a grand ambition for a fund that started a little over 12 months ago with no assets or platform, but not so grand or improbable when you consider the individual driving it. David Toomey has the ambition, experience and smarts to make it happen.
Doubters should consider his resume. Dogged determination and hard graft have been Toomey’s signature characteristics that have seen the 49-year-old progress from a humble Brisbane auditor in the late 1990s to an investment manager in the City of London, then in Amsterdam with one of the world’s largest private equity funds, then, more recently, as chief revenue officer at EV charging company Tritium which he helped grow from a $10 million Brisbane startup to a $2 billion NASDAQ listed company.
Not bad for a boy from Woombye. If you talk to Toomey, his quiet tenacity gives the impression his success was never in doubt. During his London days, he used to carry a US one-dollar bill in his wallet. Why? It was to remind him of his ambition to one day work on Wall Street. Deltine is not short of ambition. Neither is its prime mover, David Toomey.
Words_John Miller
OF A DOLLAR
His career journey to New York’s most fabled thoroughfare took eight years, but the point is he made it in the end. When he finally got to Wall Street to work on a $7.4 billion private equity deal with Cerberus Capital, he spent his dollar bill. On what he can’t remember. It had outlasted its purpose as a symbol to achieve his aim.
It’s that same burning ambition Toomey is now applying with Deltine. Since its inception in late 2024, the fund has acquired three regional freehold motels.
“We planned to have four acquisitions in the first year of the fund,” says Toomey. “We’ve got three motels with three more secured, so I think that’s a pass mark.”
“Now, we want to start ramping up to 10 acquisitions a year. Having four in the pipeline for the first half of 2026 gives us the momentum to carry forward and to start to crescendo in terms of the value and rate of acquisitions.”
Toomey’s five-year vision is to create a pan-Australian fund of over 50 regional and suburban motels with
an asset value greater than $500 million. Nowhere is off limits; the fund is actively looking at freehold going concern motel opportunities across all states and territories.
“My passion for regional travel has been brewing for over 30 years, back to when I travelled around Queensland auditing companies as a graduate and staying in all sorts of regional motels,” says Toomey.
The fund’s first acquisition, the 26-key, four-star New Crossing Place Motel in Seymour, Victoria, is typical of Deltine’s acquisition criteria: good quality, good location and diverse occupancy drivers. Seymour is a busy country town thanks to the nearby Puckapunyal Army Base, Goulburn Valley and Eastern Lions Kart Club, one of the largest Go Karting tracks in Australia.
“They all come to New Crossing Place Motel because it’s the best in town,” says Toomey. “Asset quality is really important to us. It allows us to walk in and start operating a motel straight away. We don’t have to refurbish it.”
“WHAT CATCHES PEOPLE’S ATTENTION ARE THE RETURNS YOU CAN GET FROM THIS SECTOR.”
“This motel was a standout first asset because it’s busy, it’s profitable — a good quality asset in a good location.”
The fund’s second acquisition, The Roseville Apartments, a 22-key, four-star property in Tamworth (transacted through ResortBrokers’ NSW Mid North Coast & New England agent Joshua Roberts), consolidated the Deltine template.
“Again, it was a bit of a standout,” says Toomey. “There aren’t many serviced apartments in Tamworth.”
Acquisition number three, Amaroo Motel in Tumut, NSW, is a 29-key motel that Deltine expects to benefit from Snowy 2.0 and the upcoming construction of the HumeLink transmission line.
So far, investors seem sold on the fund. Currently, it has more than 60 investors and has had no problem attracting interest from sophisticated and wholesale investors, who can buy in with a minimum $50,000 investment. The fund’s targeted total returns of greater than 20% per annum, with 10%plus income distributions paid monthly,
have proved irresistible. Deltine High Yield Motel Fund has lived up to the promise of its name; since inception, the fund’s distributions have hit the mark, annualising at 10.5%.
“What catches people’s attention are the returns you can get from this sector,” says Toomey. “People are also really attracted to the differentiation of the fund. Regional motels are also something a lot of people can easily relate to but haven’t come across as an investment before. They’re looking for quality when they’re travelling themselves, and it’s often hard to find. They can see the opportunity there. The vision resonates with them. They want to be part of creating this motel chain because it’s unique and much needed.”
“There’s a lot of people in Australia with cash looking for a place to put it. I think it’s really good to be able to create a product for them that’s high yielding, diverse, property backed, low debt and just a good, solid vanilla buy-and-hold investment. It’s a real privilege to be able to offer that to the investment market.”
Toomey got the idea of Deltine early in his career working in corporate finance. His team at FTI Consulting was in the midst of consolidating Australia’s senior living space into a listed company that would become the ASX-listed Eureka.
“MOTELS OFFER DIVERSIFICATION, HIGH CASH FLOW AND ARE RELATIVELY SIMPLE TO OPERATE. THEY’RE JUST A GOOD INVESTMENT.”
“A couple of brokers said to me, ‘If you’re interested in this, why don’t you look at motels? The yields from the motel sector are good if not better, and no one has consolidated that sector yet.’ As a team, we started researching that. I spearheaded part of the research and started doing some modelling.”
The idea stuck with Toomey, but he didn’t act on it until Tritium listed on the NASDAQ.
“I came back to Australia and thought, ‘What am I going to do with my own money?’” he says. “Like a lot of sophisticated investors in Australia, you land on commercial property. During that time, commercial property yields had compressed. But I always looked at motel yields, which hadn’t compressed as much. They were still much higher than what you could get in other commercial property sectors like
industrial or retail. You can get really good diversification with motels, really positive high cash flow, they’re very profitable and relatively simple from an operational perspective. It’s just a good investment. Then my fund management and investment analysis background pulls it all together.”
Toomey’s investment chops are impressively extensive. While an accounting and business student at the Queensland University of Technology in the mid- to late-1990s, he harboured ambitions of being an equity analyst. After graduating and working in Brisbane for a few years, he went to London where he started to transition into investment management, working for Credit Suisse First Boston ABN Amro.
When he didn’t get the opportunities he wanted in London, he set his sights on Amsterdam because of the connection with ABN Amro, one of the Netherland’s largest banks. He spent three months in the canal city going to internet cafes every day to send out resumes and followed up on a pre-paid phone that churned through his limited savings very quickly. Despite not speaking Dutch or having equity analysis experience, his tenacity eventually landed him what he considered a “dream job” with AlpInvest, one of the world’s largest private equity funds.
“That’s where I really transitioned my career from accounting into investment management,” he says. “I really learned from the best. When I joined AlpInvest, it was managing €5 billion worth of assets. By the time I left, we managed €28 billion and I had transitioned from the portfolio and risk team to the coinvestment team, investing with the likes of KKR & Co., Bain, CVC, BlackRock and TPG, investing €20 to €100 million into billion-dollar buy-out deals.”
Toomey studied the notoriously difficult Chartered Financial Analyst qualification to prove to the higherups at AlpInvest he wanted to be an investment analyst not just an accountant. In 2005, an opportunity came up to do a deal in New York that Toomey says had his name on it. Cerberus Capital was buying financial services giant GMAC (General Motors Acceptance Corporation). AlpInvest was looking at the investment on behalf of Dutch Pension Fund ABP.
“I got to spend my one US dollar,” he says. “That was me working in New York doing the biggest deal in town on that day. It was a $7.4 billion transaction, and I was part of the investment team.”
“So, Deltine is right in my wheelhouse. Everything we need to do on a daily basis in terms of raising money, doing deals, negotiating, building a team and managing investors I’ve done countless times before around the world.”
Toomey is adept at growing something from nothing. Well, virtually nothing. When he joined Tritium, it was a $10 million Brisbane EV charging company no one had heard of.
For such a high-flying individual, Toomey comes across as eminently well-grounded. He is thoughtful, considered and unassuming. Despite an international career spanning Australia, Europe and the United States putting together deals worth billions, the persona of a simple country boy from Woombye, a town that owes its fame to something so kitsch as The Big Pineapple, seems to have never left Toomey despite his steely ambition to get ahead.
“I guess I was born with the drive to succeed,” he says. “From a young age, I was always quite entrepreneurial, making money. We lived on a hobby
“IT’S A REAL PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THIS TO THE INVESTMENT MARKET.”
By the time he left, the company had listed on the NASDAQ and its CEO Jane Hunter was standing shoulderto-shoulder with US President Joe Biden to announce the opening of Tritium’s Tennessee plant — part of the administration’s Build Back Better Plan.
When Tritium listed on Wall Street on Australia Day in 2022, Toomey was there to ring the closing bell, broadcast live on the Times Square jumbotron and on CNBC worldwide. Tritium’s success was as much Toomey’s as anyone’s: apart from the founders, he was the only executive to remain with the company throughout its journey from startup in 2014 to public listing on the world’s most active stock exchange in 2022.
“It was like building three or four different companies along the way,” he says. “We took it from a $10 million startup to a $50 million company in one phase of growth. Then we grew very quickly from $50 million to $300 million in another phase. We had to build a management team in the first phase and an executive team in the second phase, then we needed a new executive team because we were now a globally listed company that required a different level of skill set, a global skill set.
The business experience it gave me was priceless. After I left Tritium, someone said to me, ‘It’s like you’ve done five MBAs.’”
farm, growing avocados, in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. Dad bought us a $100 tin of zucchini seeds, and my brother and I planted those, harvested them and sold the produce to a local fruit shop for $600. For a nine-year-old back in 1985, it was like winning the lotto.”
Toomey’s enthusiasm for regional motels draws from those simple country roots.
“My passion comes from growing up in regional Queensland,” he says. “It was a beautiful place to grow up. I’m from the regions. I love getting out there and seeing regional Australia. I love having the opportunity to showcase the food, wine, hospitality and products from our regions. We can do that through this motel brand. This brand will be one that oozes our passion for the regions.”
In time, likely within the next six months, the fund will brand its portfolio, but Toomey is keeping those details under wraps for now.
“We want to have a modern, aligned brand across the whole motel chain so that we can start raising brand awareness and getting repeat customers,” he says. “So that when people come into a town and see our brand they can stay with us and know exactly what to expect.”
PARQUE & THE ATLEY
jessie@resortbrokers.com.au 0422 935 428
Secure dual off-the-plan management rights across 150 permanent-letting apartments in Mitchelton, only 10 km from Brisbane’s CBD.
With a projected net profit of $314,197 underpinned by a $225,000 body corporate salary, these business-only management rights are supported by brand new 25-year agreements, with CPI increases, that ensure long-term security.
Developed by Carbone Developments, a respected developer with a proven 20-year track record, the complexes are scheduled for completion in 2026-2027, offering the incoming operator establishment advantage.
• 150 apartments across two side-by-side permanent complexes
• $328,461 projected net profit with $225,000 Body Corp salary
• Business-only acquisition, no real estate purchase required
• Brand new 25-year caretaking and letting agreements providing long-term security and tenure
• Two offices on occupational authority, no set office hours
• Completion 2026-2027
• Luxury facilities: pools, gyms, secure parking, BBQ areas
• Permanent letting model delivers operational simplicity
GENUINE SCALE, SECURE INCOME AND A PRIME COASTAL LOCATION
TUGUN, QLD MANAGEMENT RIGHTS
Secure a thriving management rights business at The Parc, Tugun, delivering a net profit exceeding $499,000 with a remarkable body corporate salary over $367,000.
This 187-townhouse permanent complex operates with no set office hours and runs almost entirely under management.
The spacious three-bedroom caretaker's residence with lake views provides exceptional family living. Long-term 25year agreements, 48-unit letting pool with growth potential, and prime location minutes from M1, airport, and beaches create outstanding lifestyle and income security.
• Body corporate salary (incl. gardening) exceeds $367,000
• No set office hours, streamlined and efficient operations
• Family sized 3-bed, 2.5-bath residence with double garage
• Permanent residential complex with consistently high rental demand
• Prime location minutes from M1, hospital, beach, airport, and shopping precincts
• Long-term 25-year agreements and established systems ensure stability
• 187 townhouses with strong potential to grow the letting pool
todd@resortbrokers.com.au 0438 170 763
TYDAL & LIGHTHOUSE
DUAL WATERFRONT OFF-THE-PLAN OPPORTUNITY, 307 APARTMENTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION NOW
REDCLIFFE, QLD OFF THE PLAN MR
An exceptional opportunity to secure the caretaking and letting rights to two premium waterfront developments on the Redcliffe Peninsula.
Introducing Tydal & Lighthouse, the latest projects from well-established developer Traders in Purple. These are their 14th and 15th developments on the Redcliffe Peninsula.
The projects are available for acquisition individually or together in one line. A high quality operator is paramount, with the developer prioritising the right management partner over price.
Expressions of interest are invited from experienced management rights operators.
• Two off-the-plan permanent business-only management rights
• Prime waterfront locations in high-growth bayside communities
• Combined Body Corporate salary exceeding $460,000
• Gardening duties are supervisory only
• Projected net income exceeding $550,000
• No requirement to live onsite or own a lot, and no office hours
• Located within 15 minutes of each other, creating a compelling dual investment opportunity
• New Standard Module 10-year agreements
• Office and storage areas included under occupational authority
jeff@resortbrokers.com.au 0414 669 007
STUART RANGE OUTBACK RESORT & MUD HUT MOTEL
CORNER THE MARKET WITH COOBER PEDY’S LARGEST PARK AND MOTEL!
COOBER PEDY, SA
FREEHOLD GOING CONCERNS
Offered for purchase in one line, these two prime condition assets offer diversity and scale in one of Australia’s most unique outback destinations — Coober Pedy, “opal capital of the world.”
With 237 separate accommodations, spread across a caravan park and motel, the owner will have the largest inventory of any accommodation business in Coober Pedy. Both assets are genuine turnkey opportunities, with recent upgrades and refurbishments.
Both are trading strongly with room to grow and potential cost savings ahead when SA Water takes over Coober Pedy’s water supply before the end of 2026. Do not miss this incredible opportunity to dominate the accommodation market in Coober Pedy.
• 237 separate accommodations across caravan park and motel
• Wide range of accommodations — apartments, motel rooms, park sites
• Excellent financial performance
• Strong demand due to positioning on major tourist corridor
• Proven occupancy: 82% park apartments, 65% motel rooms
• Well-maintained turnkey assets with recent capital upgrades
• Diversified income streams, incl. bar and pizza cafe, retail and tours
• Unused land for cabin or powered site development
• Potential upside from reopening motel restaurant
KELLI CROUCH, 312872 RLA SENIOR SPECIALIST ACCOMMODATION BROKER, SOUTH AUSTRALIA & NORTHERN TERRITORY
kelli@resortbrokers.com.au 0410 441 750
Price
Listing Reference
Price on Application
FH009137
Property Type Freehold Going Concerns
Accommodations 237 (Stuart Range Outback Resort: 24 apartments, 185 sites; Mud Hut Motel: 28 rooms)
INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO SECURE A LUXURY APARTMENT-HOTEL WITH UP TO 200 KEYS, PLUS AN OPTIONAL FREEHOLD CARPARK
ResortBrokers presents to market the fully established rights to a boutique short-term run apartment-hotel located on the city fringe of Melbourne's CBD.
Located within close proximity to the best tourism and leisure entertainment precincts. The modern complex boasts up to 200 keys and offers a good variety of room types including studios, queens and family suites plus dual keys.
Zoning and building restricts permanent occupancy for longer than 90 days. 130+ keys are on a lease structure with the potential of further growing the number of keys subject to purchaser’s preference and demand.
Opportunity to secure long-term building management agreements and long-term common area licences.
The developer is willing to sell the freehold carpark consisting of 78 car parks and four storage cages within the building to the successful buyer of the management rights business.
MELBOURNE, VIC MANAGEMENT RIGHTS
• Luxury apartment-hotel in prime inner-Melbourne CBD fringe location
• Up to 200 keys with solid short-term letting pool on long lease arrangement
• Wide selection of accommodation from studios to suites to penthouses
• Stylish foyer and lounge, reception and back-of-house operational space
• Option for successful purchaser to secure the freehold carpark consisting of 78 x car parks plus 4 x storage cages for sale within the building. Net income of $305,000.
• Potential ownership of freehold reception area is possible
TIM CROOKS DIRECTOR OF NEW DEVELOPMENTS & HOTELS
tim@resortbrokers.com.au 0422 208 450
Listing Reference
MR008982
Property Type Management Rights
Apartments
FY25 Gross Revenue Circa.
Up to 200 keys
$6,000,000
MLR Business Price Expressions of Interest
Optional Freehold Carpark
$5,750,000
Longtime Questies Mark and Ky O’Shea are making a difference through their charity work
Words_John Miller
TO HELP
[From left: Nathan & Cathy Williams, and Ky & Mark O'Shea]
What started as a modest gathering in a backyard has grown into a meaningful and important Melbournebased charity, without ever losing sight of why it began.
Twelve years ago, Team Kill Cancer (TKC) was little more than an idea among friends. Today, it helps people affected by cancer right across Australia — all while deliberately staying small enough to remain personal.
“We never wanted to become a big corporate machine,” says TKC cofounder Mark O’Shea. “If $100 comes in, $100 goes out to the people who need it. That’s the whole point.”
TKC began when long-time Quest franchisees Mark and wife Ky, and close friends Nathan and Cathy Williams were looking for a meaningful way to help cancer sufferers. Nathan’s mother was battling cancer, and the group had been fundraising through established charities, including bike rides that raised around $5,000 per person.
“Those events were great experiences,” says Mark. “But we realised a lot of what we raised went into running the events themselves. When we talked to Nath’s mum about it, she said, ‘Why don’t you do something locally, where the money goes straight to families who need it?’”
So they did. The first TKC gala dinner fundraiser was held in a backyard with around 30 people.
“We saw what happened at other charities,” says Mark. “Once you start to hire staff, the whole concept shifts. Suddenly only a small percentage of the money you raise makes it through to the people you’re trying to help.”
Instead, TKC operates on a membership model. Membership costs $25, and members can nominate up to three people annually who are affected by cancer — family members, colleagues or people in their local community.
“We really rely on our members,” says Mark. “That’s how we find people who need help.”
“It started really small with little events with friends and family,” says Mark.
Each year the events grew: 100 people, then more and more again. Today, TKC galas attract around 800 attendees, alongside golf days, family days and other community events.
From the outset, TKC made a conscious decision not to grow beyond what could be managed by volunteers.
Last year alone, TKC made more than 70 individual gifts. Assistance might be cash but can also take other forms: paying rent, covering cleaning services, arranging carers, providing fuel vouchers, buying car tyres or funding family holidays when time together matters more than money.
“Giving people suffering from cancer a chance to go away with their family can mean everything,” says Mark.
TKC also plays a role alongside programs like Sony Foundation Australia’s ‘You Can Stay,’ which provides free accommodation for families in regional Australia who need to travel to metro areas for cancer treatment.
Quest properties offer cost-price rooms, Sony Foundation Australia covers those discounted costs and, when possible and required, TKC steps in to help families with some extra support like food, transport and daily expenses while they’re away from home.
“In the past six months we’ve helped six families this way,” says Mark. “One was a three-year-old girl who was close to our hearts. She was battling through life-threatening cancer. We supported her family with financial support to assist her parents while they were living at Quest away from home and unable to work. Every case is different.”
While TKC remains Melbourne-based at heart, its reach has expanded nationally thanks to Quest for a Cause golf days.
TKC’s first tie-up with Quest for a Cause was a Melbourne golf day four years ago.
“We thought — let’s just do one golf day and see what happens,” says Mark. The concept took off immediately and soon expanded interstate, first to Brisbane (thanks to Queensland Quest operator Ben O’Sullivan) then to Albury in New South Wales (thanks to Quest Orange operators Amy Van De Ven and Natasha Callewaert).
This year, Quest for a Cause golf days will be held in Melbourne, Woolooware, Brisbane, Albury and Adelaide.
Mark also acknowledges ResortBrokers’ support is getting the program off the ground.
“From our very first golf day, Trudy [Managing Director Trudy Crooks] was on board,” says Mark. “ResortBrokers really led the way by being a major sponsor from the get-go.”
In December, the charity will hold its first ever Adelaide golf day and hopes to roll out a Perth golf day should they find a willing Quest operator to organise the event.
“We’re looking for the right people to drive WA,” says Mark. “Someone with strong corporate connections who really believes in what we’re doing.”
Quest for a Cause operates under the Quest Apartment Hotels brand. Quest corporate office provides support, with the events themselves being run by franchisees.
“Quest head office is great and really backed these events. They allow us to use the branding and provide plenty of marketing and business support,” says Mark.
Each golf day supports two charities: TKC, as the consistent beneficiary, and a local charity chosen by the hosting franchisee. In Albury, for instance, the local charity was Boys for the Bush, well known to people in the area.
“That local angle is essential,” says Mark. “People want to know their money is helping their own community.”
Mark and Ky’s ability to focus on their charity work has been shaped by their own Quest journey — one spanning two decades and multiple properties.
The couple’s first hotel franchise was Quest Knox some 20 years ago. In 2012, they sold their interest in Quest Knox to acquire Quest Bundoora where they were hands-on operators until they sold it in 2024 (via ResortBrokers’ Jacqueline Featherby).
Stepping back from day-to-day operations has allowed Mark and Ky to dedicate more time to TKC and Quest for a Cause.
TEEING-OFF FOR A GREAT CAUSE
ResortBrokers has proudly supported the beloved Quest for a Cause golf days since the beginning.
“We now spend about half our week on charity work,” says Mark. “We simply couldn’t do that if we were still running a property day-to-day.”
Despite national support, million-dollar milestones and packed ballrooms, TKC remains exactly what it started as: people helping people.
“We’re not chasing scale for the sake of it,” says Mark. “We want to stay true to why we exist.” END
These annual golf days are always a highlight on the calendar — combining great fun with meaningful fundraising for truly worthy causes. The most recent event was held on 20 February at Woolooware Golf Club near Cronulla, raising funds for TKC, as well as local charities Sharks Have Heart — the philanthropic arm of NRL club Cronulla Sharks — and the Jacaranda Foundation, which supports the local hospital.
Props to our friends at Quest corporate office and the many Quest operators whose dedication and hard work make these events such a success. See you at the next one!
ANCHORAGE LORNE
PREMIUM BEACHFRONT FREEHOLD IN LORNE — DARLING OF THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD
LORNE, VIC
FREEHOLD GOING CONCERN
Offered for sale for the first time in over 40 years, this is a truly rare opportunity to acquire an upscale freehold accommodation asset in the Great Ocean Road’s most fashionable destination.
Occupying a substantial 2,244 sqm landholding on Mountjoy Parade, Lorne’s main street and shopping strip, the property enjoys one of the best positions in town, directly opposite the town’s iconic beach, with boutique stores, fine dining and trendy cafes on its doorstep.
Acquisition of this exceptionally well-positioned asset would suit either an owner-operator or developer seeking to leverage the property’s prime seaside location in one of the Great Ocean Road’s most desirable tourism hubs.
• 16 luxury keys in prime beachfront position in the GOR’s most desired destination
• Rare freehold in tightly held location, first time to market in 43 years
• Stunning ocean views and central Lorne position on main promenade
• Large 2,244 sqm landholding offers significant development potential
• Sale includes 4 commercial lots generating $180K in passive income
• Excellent reputation and complimentary guest reviews on OTAs
• 2 generously sized owner’s residences — 3-bed and 2-bed
HUGH THOMAS SPECIALIST ACCOMMODATION BROKER, WEST VICTORIA
hugh@resortbrokers.com.au 0420 996 319
Manager’s Residences 2 (3-bed & 2-bed)
CASSIS RED HILL
MORNINGTON PENINSULA LUXURY VILLAS — MANAGE REMOTELY, REAP THE REWARDS!
MORNINGTON PENINSULA, VIC FREEHOLD GOING CONCERN
Just an hour from Melbourne, Cassis Red Hill comprises five luxury villas overlooking the gorgeous Lindenderry Estate vineyard on the Mornington Peninsula.
Positioned as an exclusively adult experience, the villas sport a modern rustic style, inspired by the provincial lifestyle of Southern France. The property is exceedingly easy to operate. The vendors run Cassis remotely and there is very little for the owner to do in return for a healthy profit.
Do not miss this extraordinary opportunity to acquire an easy-to-run luxury asset in one of Victoria’s most popular destinations, comfortably within Melbourne’s drive market.
CHRIS BOSCHETTI SPECIALIST ACCOMMODATION BROKER, EAST VICTORIA
• Prime Mornington Peninsula position, just 1 hour from Melbourne
• Small number of guest accommodations — easily managed remotely
• Glowing media coverage and high guest ratings on online booking platforms
• Excellent digital marketing and presence across social media channels
• Well-established RMS and other systems firmly in place
• Inspections strictly by appointment only Price
$4,650,000
Profit $407,933 (proj.)
Listing Reference
FH009067
Property Type Freehold Going Concern
Villas 5
BROOKLYN MOTEL
Brooklyn Motel presents a tightly held freehold opportunity in a prime Hawkesbury riverside village less than an hour from Sydney's CBD. Five spacious king suites deliver consistent year-round occupancy with minimal competition, while conservative tariffs offer immediate revenue upside without capital outlay. Operate hands-on from the private one-bedroom residence with large kitchen, lounge, dining and outdoor space or retain existing management for semi-passive income. With established systems, scarcity value and repositioning potential, this combines income security with lifestyle appeal.
• Freehold motel in tightly held Brooklyn riverside village
• 5 king suites with spa baths, high year-round occupancy
• Private 1-bed residence with large kitchen & courtyard
• Under 1 hour from Sydney CBD, minimal competition locally
• Incredible lifestyle opportunity in the beautiful Hawkesbury River Region
• Established systems, channel manager, minimal marketing
• Repositioning potential as boutique riverside accommodation
INNER-CITY BRISBANE MR
BRISBANE, QLD MANAGEMENT RIGHTS
Secure a $230,000 annual salary with CPI increases in this boutique 30-lot riverfront building.
No letting pool and no real estate purchase. Straightforward duties include garden maintenance, cleaning of water feature, rooftop pool, indoor and outdoor communal spaces with fixed concierge hours Monday to Friday 8am-4pm. Standard Module agreement with 7.5 years remaining. Cooperative body corporate and community of owner occupiers who value quality service.
Scope to increase revenue through additional resident services. Ideal first-time entry or quality add-on business.
• Prestigious boutique river front residential building in blue-chip Brisbane Suburb
• Strong manager salary of $230,000 with annual CPI increases
• Straightforward caretaking only structure
• Standard Module agreement with 7.5 years remaining
• Scope to grow income through additional services
• Straightforward caretaking duties include garden maintenance, cleaning of water feature, rooftop pool, and indoor and outdoor communal spaces. Office concierge hours Monday to Friday 8am-4pm.
BRISBANE
stevep@resortbrokers.com.au 0466 688 944
CROOKS DIRECTOR OF NEW DEVELOPMENTS & HOTELS
tim@resortbrokers.com.au 0422 208 450
1834 Hotels – Your Partner in Regional and Metro Accommodation Success
Looking to maximise the potential of your motel, hotel, or serviced apartments? Whether your property is in a bustling metro hub or a thriving regional destination, 1834 Hotels is here to help.
We are one of Australia’s leading independent management companies, offering white-label management solutions tailored to meet the needs of accommodation owners. With over 60 properties under management across Australia and the Pacific, we have a proven track record of delivering exceptional results for property owners.
Why 1834 Hotels?
Based in Australia, with offices in Sydney, Adelaide, and Tasmania, 1834 Hotels provides hands-on, local support to help you:
Streamline operations to reduce stress and improve efficiency. Optimise revenue through expert rate and distribution strategies. Enhance your property’s value with tailored management solutions. Drive growth with marketing expertise designed to attract more guests.
Whether you own a boutique motel, a hotel, or a mixed-use property, we tailor our services to meet your unique needs and goals.
Comprehensive Management Services
Our white-label solutions include:
Day-to-day operational management tailored to your property.
Revenue and distribution optimisation strategies for regional and metro markets.
Expert marketing and brand representation to grow your profile.
Strategic alliances with global franchise brands to unlock new opportunities.
Comprehensive financial and asset management for lasting success.
We understand the unique challenges and opportunities in both regional and metro markets. From supporting independent properties to integrating with larger brand networks, we work with you to build a profitable and sustainable future.
At 1834 Hotels, we welcome an initial conversation to help you learn more about how we can support your business goals.
Why Choose 1834 Hotels?
60+ properties under management across Australia and the Pacific.
Specialising in white-label management for motels, hotels, and mixed-use properties.
Local support with offices in Sydney, Adelaide, and Tasmania.
A relationship-driven approach tailored to your property’s needs.
Proven success in regional and metro accommodation markets.
Partner with us and discover how 1834 Hotels can help your property thrive in today’s competitive market.
Scott Armstrong Director of Development
scott@1834hotels.com.au
www.1834hotels.com.au
GROUP
Tessa Group is seeking an experienced Operations Manager for the following role;
Operations Manager – Waterpoint Residences
Location: Gold Coast, Queensland
Employment Type: Full Time
Reporting To: Tessa Group Director
Waterpoint Residences is one of Queensland’s largest and most significant permanent management rights assets, comprising 662 apartments across multiple Body Corporates.
The Operations Manager plays a central leadership role in overseeing the operational and administrative performance of the property. Working closely with the Facilities Manager and Tessa Group Director, this position ensures the asset operates efficiently, professionally, and in alignment with Tessa Group’s operational standards
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Maintain effective operational systems, procedures, and administrative workflows.
• Involvement with accounts payable oversight, reporting, and financial record accuracy.
Act as a key point of contact for residents, Body Corporate representatives, contractors, and senior management. Coordinate contractors and service providers in collaboration with the Facilities Manager.
• Ensure compliance with Body Corporate obligations, regulatory requirements, and internal governance standards.
Maintain high standards of communication, professionalism, and stakeholder management.
CANDIDATE PROFILE
The ideal candidate will be an experienced management rights or residential operations professional who demonstrates;
• Strong operational leadership capability
High attention to administrative detail
Excellent stakeholder communication and relationship management skills
• Commercial awareness and sound problem-solving ability
• Professionalism, discretion, and accountability
EXPERIENCE & BACKGROUND
Minimum 5+ years’ experience in management rights
• Demonstrated experience working within complex residential assets or strata environments.
• Strong understanding of operational reporting, and contractor coordination.
OPPORTUNITY
This role provides the opportunity to step into a key leadership position within a high-profile residential asset, contributing directly to operational performance and service standards within the Tessa Group portfolio.
The position offers autonomy, responsibility, and meaningful influence within a collaborative on-site management team.
Contact Tessa Group Operations and Administration Officer Maddy Taarnby on (07) 3638 4610 or email admin@tessagroup.com.au
STAY CONNECTED
Whether you’re buying or selling, handover day is a time of exciting new starts. Here are some of our recent settlements with our great sellers and buyers, and our brokers around the country who’ve connected them. #resortbrokersconnects
Border Motel, Goondiwindi.
Broker (left): Nathan Benjamin. Broker (back row): Nick Lowis.
The Aspen & Apartments. Broker (middle): Chris Boschetti, East Victoria
Noosa River Retreat. Broker (left): Chenoa Daniel, Sunshine Coast
MiHaven Living, Cairns. Broker (right): Leah Bursztynowicz, Far North Queensland
Quest Bendigo & Quest Bendigo. Broker (right): Hugh Thomas, West Victoria
Korora Bay Village Resort. Broker (middle): Joshua Roberts, NSW Mid North Coast & New England
Bright Colonial Motel. Broker (middle): Chris Boschetti, East Victoria
Ocean View Motel. Perth. Broker (front): Blair Macdonald, Western Australia
ESCARPMENT RETREAT
PREMIUM HINTERLAND RETREAT WITH APPROVED EXPANSION POTENTIAL
TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN, QLD FREEHOLD GOING CONCERN
Escarpment Retreat delivers a compelling freehold acquisition across 2.2 hectares of premium Gold Coast Hinterland
The retreat spans 2 deeds, combining six operational stone-block villas, a 3-bedroom residence looking out over the Gold Coast, plus substantial approved expansion capacity on the spare block next door. The established day spa and couples retreat generates immediate returns while approved development on the second title enables strategic growth without planning risk. Infrastructure including commercial kitchen (not currently in use) and grand hall with stone fire place, positions the asset to capture highmargin wedding and events revenue as well as the weekend getaway tourists.
• Extensive development approvals already secured for the second land title, enabling immediate expansion without planning risk
• Stone's throw to all the Gold Coast has to offer
• Over 22,000 sqm of premium Gold Coast Hinterland land across two freehold titles
• Six solid stone-block villas currently operational, generating immediate income while expansion proceeds
• Three-bedroom residence with sweeping Gold Coast views provides premium accommodation or owner occupancy
miguel@resortbrokers.com.au 0419 848 444
VALLEY VIEW CARAVAN PARK
AWARD-WINNING KING VALLEY FREEHOLD GOING CONCERN CARAVAN PARK
WHITFIELD, VIC FREEHOLD GOING CONCERN
Valley View Caravan Park offers a rare freehold opportunity in Victoria's King Valley wine region.
This 2024 Gold Award winner operates 75 sites across 1.93 hectares, delivering diversified income from accommodation, shuttle services, and cycling ventures.
The turnkey operation requires no capital works and includes a comfortable twobedroom residence. With consistent revenue growth, expansion potential, and a loyal guest base spanning wine tourists to trail riders, this represents an ideal lifestyle acquisition with strong commercial returns.
• 2024 Victorian Tourism Gold Award winner, nationally recognised
• Freehold 1.93ha with 75 sites plus expansion capacity
• King Valley wine region with strong tourism growth
• Turnkey operation, no immediate capital required
• Spacious two-bedroom, two-bathroom manager's residence with mountain views, ideal for family or couple owner-operators
• Owner-operated with two casuals, lifestyle-friendly model
• Loyal repeat guests across wine, cycling, wedding segments
NORTHWEST VIC & SOUTHWEST NSW
tristan@resortbrokers.com.au 0408 236 420
$3,600,000
$545,000
FRESH
ResortBrokers is expanding — again! Meet our latest recruits.
STEVE PAPPAS SPECIALIST ACCOMMODATION BROKER, BRISBANE
Steve joins ResortBrokers’ Brisbane management rights team, bringing more than a decade of sales experience across the finance, construction and automotive industries, as well as firsthand experience in management rights.
From 2021 to 2024, he was Senior Sales Consultant at Aussie Tiny Houses, where he led a team that successfully scaled a boutique transportable housing business into a recognised national brand.
Steve achieved significant sales growth through improved branding, refined sales processes and the development of long-term client relationships.
During this time, Steve got his first introduction to the management rights
industry. Through Phipps Finance, he was introduced to a management rights opportunity in Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast, where he acted as a silent partner. This provided him with a strong understanding of management rights structures, their investment appeal and associated finance processes.
Steve’s sales philosophy centres on genuine connection. He believes the process should be more about understanding rather than selling, ensuring clients feel supported throughout the entire journey. By building trust and walking alongside clients as they work towards their goals, Steve ensures outcomes feel natural rather than forced.
“RELATIONSHIPS ALWAYS COME FIRST,” SAYS STEVE. “THE WAY I SEE IT, I’M THERE TO UNDERSTAND PEOPLE RATHER THAN SELL. MY APPROACH IS TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT PEOPLE WANT AND THEN WORK MY HARDEST TO GET THEM TO WHERE THEY WANT TO BE.”
Most recently, Steve worked as Regional Sales Specialist with funeral service provider InvoCare. He found this part of his career deeply meaningful, having chosen the role specifically for
its focus on care, empathy and trust. Working closely with individuals and families during sensitive life stages strengthened his ability to listen, understand and guide clients with respect and authenticity.
“I wanted a position where care was part of the role, which is why I chose funerals,” says Steve. “I’ve been privileged to develop relationships with people thinking about their end of life. It was a very humbling experience.”
Another formative experience in Steve’s life was joining the Navy at age 27, where he proudly served the country for a year — an experience he credits with sharpening his discipline, broadening his perspective and shaping his approach to both life and work.
Before his naval service, the 33-yearold spent five years in the luxury car industry, including three years as Finance and Insurance Sales Manager with CMV Group in his hometown of Adelaide.
Steve brings together real-world investment insight, proven sales leadership and a relationship-driven mindset to deliver outstanding outcomes for his management rights clients in Brisbane.
“Build a genuine connection and the rest will flow naturally,” he says. END
FACES
NICK LOWIS SPECIALIST ACCOMMODATION BROKER, GREATER TOOWOOMBA & DARLING DOWNS REGION
Our new motel and caravan park agent for the Greater Toowoomba and Darling Downs Region understands firsthand the dedication, resilience and reward that comes with being an accommodation operator.
For 16 years, Nick and wife Tracie successfully managed the 43-room, 50-site Jeffrey’s Motel in the Toowoomba locality of Kearneys Spring.
“Stepping into this role with many years of hands-on operational experience gives me a unique perspective,” says Nick.
“I appreciate the challenges, rhythms and realities of running a motel and caravan park because I’ve lived them daily. Being able to offer genuine insight, guidance and practical support to local operators is something I’m deeply committed to.”
Nick and Tracie were invited by Jeffrey’s owners — long-time family friends of Tracie’s parents — to manage the business during a period of decline. They quickly turned it around, revitalising the business and adding long-term value by transforming the caravan park into an over-55s residential village.
“Our point of difference was simple: delivering five-star service in a three-star motel,” says Nick. “While there are many aspects of a property you can’t change overnight — the building, the layout, the age of the rooms — you can have an immediate, positive impact on every guest who walks through the door.”
“The relationships we built were one of the most rewarding parts of the job. If we could make someone’s day just a little bit easier or a little bit better, we felt we were doing our job well.”
As a broker, Nick applies both his operational knowledge and practical, on-the-ground understanding of what it takes to sell a motel or caravan park.
“THOSE YEARS TAUGHT ME THAT GREAT HOSPITALITY ISN’T ABOUT LUXURY — IT’S ABOUT CONSISTENCY, CARE AND TREATING PEOPLE THE WAY YOU’D WANT TO BE TREATED. IT’S A MINDSET I CARRY WITH ME INTO MY NEW ROLE AS A BROKER.”
Nick continues to value face-to-face connection with operators across the region.
“One of the things I enjoy most about being a broker is reconnecting with the motel and caravan park owners across my region on a personal level. It’s a tight-knit, proactive network built on mutual trust and respect, and I’m excited to strengthen these relationships even further.”
Originally from London, Nick has called the Garden City home for the past 17 years, thanks to wife Tracie, a proud local. The couple met while working on cruise ships based out of the United States. Nick spent 12 years in cruise hospitality, travelling extensively throughout the Caribbean, Asia, the Middle East and beyond.
Before his hospitality career, he spent five years in car sales in London, working with respected brands including BMW.
“It’s the human element that attracts me to sales,” says Nick. “I like to help people through a process. To assist, to be informative.”
Whether he’s helping an owner prepare to sell, guiding an investor considering their next move, or simply acting as a trusted voice in the accommodation community, Nick is committed to supporting the continued growth and success of the regional market.
“I try to be a true connector in the industry,” says Nick. “Someone who brings people together, helps solve problems quickly and adds value through industry knowledge and long-standing relationships.”
HOW MANAGEMENT RIGHTS IN QUEENSLAND HAVE MOVED AND SHAKEN
Words_John Mahoney, Founding Partner, Mahoneys
JOHN MAHONEY, FOUNDING PARTNER, MAHONEYS
In writing an article for this Informer issue about movers and shakers, I thought it appropriate to touch on a few of the moves and shakes in the management rights industry itself over time.
THE EARLY DAYS
With the advent of high-rise buildings on the Gold Coast in the early 1960s, in many of which there were large numbers of holiday rentals, it made sense for an onsite manager to be engaged to source holiday bookings and look after the cleaning of the building and maintenance of the grounds. As the letting activities were quite lucrative, more often than not the
remuneration paid by the body corporate for the caretaking duties was quite modest. The early management rights agreements were very basic with little detail about the caretaking role and typically of a short duration, often no more than three years. As the industry became more sophisticated, longer term and even perpetual agreements became the norm. The businesses were seen as sound investments, banks became willing to finance their purchase and multiples of around 3 to 3.5 held steady for many years, indeed into the early and even mid 1990s. For the first 20 years or so in the life of the industry, there was minimal legislative change. While the existing legislation was far from ideal, it did the job.
EARLY OPPOSITION
As the industry grew, a small band of opponents to the industry (including lawyers who seemed to revel in making a manager’s life difficult) began a destabilising campaign from around 1990. I suspect that one of the driving forces was a particular body corporate manager driven by jealousy that resident managers were having such an impact in the running of the building. This opposition movement encouraged the then Queensland state government to have a review into the industry. That led to the formation of QRAMA,
the forerunner to ARAMA, as a body to represent the industry, counter the opposition and lobby the government. I remember attending many forums where strategies were developed for achieving the right outcomes for the industry. The review into the legislation took place. A new Act was passed in 1994 but was never proclaimed and never commenced.
THE BIG HICCUP
At about the time of this review a dispute between the manager and the body corporate for Surfers Palms North made headlines. The body corporate successfully argued in the Supreme Court that the caretaking and letting agreement with the onsite manager was actually a body corporate management agreement and therefore subject to a three-year term limit.
The matter finished up in the High Court which although finding that this was not a body corporate management agreement, ruled that the body corporate had no authority to enter into the agreement due to the way the letting component was dealt with. The ruling meant that most combined caretaking and letting agreements, and many letting agreements, were invalid. That decision sent shockwaves through the industry, banks stop lending and sales were in limbo.
At that time a defect such as this could be cured by the body corporate
enacting a by-law giving it authority to enter into a letting agreement. That is exactly what dozens if not hundreds of bodies corporate did. Unlike today, bodies corporate back then, and their lawyers, acted reasonably in resolving issues like that.
1997 ACT
With the shelving of the 1994 Act that never commenced, yet a further review was held leading to the Body Corporate and Community Management Act and the various regulation modules in 1997. As readers will be aware, this legislation imposed a 10-year term limit on buildings in the Standard Module and a 25-year limit in the Accommodation Module. Although up until this time very little if any difference in value was placed on agreements of short or long duration, the advent of the modules, as predicted at the time, did lead to considerably higher values on Accommodation Module agreements.
Within a few years of its commencement, through the lobbying efforts of ARAMA, the Act was changed to build in protections for banks and outlaw tripartite deeds between banks, bodies corporate and managers.
These deeds, necessary to protect a bank lending money to a management rights buyer, had been an increasing source of conflict, often delaying settlements and costing the manager large sums in body corporate legal costs and the manager’s own legal costs.
I can only imagine how difficult and expensive some of today’s body corporate lawyers would make the process if it still existed. The impact of this change cannot be underestimated. Other changes to the 1997 legislation were made in following years including the ability for a body corporate or a manager to have the remuneration and duties reviewed in the first three years of a new agreement in a new building. None of these changes adversely affected the industry.
GALLERY VIE
In 2015, QCAT handed down a decision which took the industry by total surprise. While the circumstances of the QCAT decision were quite unique (they have only arisen once in some 60 years), almost all banks perceived it posed serious risks. The responsible government
department has acknowledged that the section of the Act was not intended to work in the way QCAT decided, yet although the problem could be fixed by a simple amendment to the Act, that has not happened.
Most banks required amendments to management rights agreements. The amendments simply do what the legislation was meant to do and give the banks the protection they always thought they had.
However the decision had a huge impact on the lending policies of most banks and put most managers in the position of having to amend their agreements.
WHERE TO FROM HERE?
Anyone close to our industry knows how resilient it is but also realise that in recent years poorly performing managers have given the industry’s opponents lots of ammunition. It is incumbent on those who depend on the industry to acknowledge this and do all they can to make the changes that will enhance and not damage the credibility of the industry. END
RELIEF MANAGERS Need A Break?
This is simply a directory service that we provide to assist you. Should you choose to go on holiday or take a break, we recommend you interview and qualify relief managers yourself, before hiring. You’ll find more managers listed on our website: resortbrokers.com.au/buy/reliefmanagers
GLEN & WENDY WHALER
Motels
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania
Holiday & Serviced Apartments, Resorts, Boutique Hotels, Bed & Breakfasts
KARLA HARDING 0414 767 499 karla.boutiqueaccomrelief@outlook.com
kristymay22@outlook.com
WHAT'S COOL IN THE INDUSTRY
For our first Informer of 2026, Director of New Developments & Hotels Tim Crooks checks out the world’s best hotels to celebrate Easter.
WALDORF ASTORIA
JERUSALEM
JERUSALEM, ISRAEL
Jerusalem, the site of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, is naturally the ultimate Easter destination. Few addresses in the city rival the prestigious Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem, the closest five-star hotel to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, long revered as the traditional site of Christ’s resurrection. The hotel stands on the historic foundations of the Palace Hotel, which opened in 1929 and is regarded as the Middle East’s first luxury hotel. Operating as Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem since 2014, it preserves the original building’s elegant facade and remains the city’s only internationally branded luxury hotel — an enduring expression of the grandeur envisioned in its earliest days.
Rome — the Eternal City and spiritual heart of the Catholic Church, the world’s largest Christian denomination — beckons pilgrims year-round but especially at Easter. One of the classiest places in town is the 110-room Bvlgari Rome Hotel, part of Marriott International. Located in the storied Campo Marzio district, Bvlgari Rome Hotel has reimagined an original 1940s building as a striking contemporary landmark. The undoubted jewel of this five-star fashion statement is its 1,400-sqm spa, a sanctuary of marble columns, stained glass and shimmering mosaics inspired by ancient Roman baths. Taking a dip isn’t mandatory but why resist? When in Rome … bulgarihotels.com/en_US/rome
OVO PATAGONIA
PATAGONIA, ARGENTINA
You don’t get more Easter-y than an egg-shaped capsule. OVO Patagonia has four of them bolted to the side of a cliff, some 270 metres above ground. To reach these crazy capsules, you’ll need to hike for an hour then travel for 10 minutes on an iron path of anchors and cables bolted to the cliff face. Is it worth the effort? The cracking views from these transparent cocoons would suggest so — the pods overlook Patagonia’s majestic Mount Fitz Roy. If you want to glass of wine to soak in this picturesque panorama, a mountain guide is just a call — and an hour’s hike — away.
JESSIE SHI 0422 935 428 jessie@resortbrokers.com.au
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