Private Islands for Sale in Australia
Table of contents
- Short answer
- Islands for sale in Australia right now
- How much does a private island cost in Australia?
- Freehold or lease: who really owns Australian islands
- Can foreigners buy a private island in Australia?
- Taxes when you buy
- Where are the private islands in Australia?
- What can you build on an Australian island?
- Seasons, access and natural risks
- How to buy an island in Australia: step by step
- Risks and what to check
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Sources
Short answer
Yes, you can buy a private island in Australia, but the type of ownership matters more than the price. Whole freehold islands are rare. Most are in Tasmania and Bass Strait. In Queensland, most islands are government land held on long leases, and many are national park.
Small freehold islands in Tasmania sell from about A$330,000 (US$230,000) to A$4.5 million (US$3.2 million). Queensland islands with a house cost about A$2–7 million (US$1.4–4.9 million). Resort islands on the Great Barrier Reef run to A$20 million (US$14 million) and more.
Foreign buyers need government (FIRB) approval. Until 31 March 2027, foreigners in practice cannot buy an island that already has a house on it.
Islands for sale in Australia right now
FindIslands does not list any island in Australia yet. Below are the closest islands in our catalogue. You can also browse all islands for sale or see every island in Australia & Oceania.
Islands for sale in Oceania
Selling an island in Australia? List it on FindIslands →
How much does a private island cost in Australia?
These are listings and sales we checked, as of November 2026. Dollar figures use A$1 = US$0.70.
| Island | State | Size | Price | Ownership | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Green Island | Tasmania | 6.5 ha (16 acres) | A$330,000 (US$232,000) | Freehold | Sold, Sep 2026 |
| Puncheon Island, Furneaux Group | Tasmania | 16 ha (40 acres) | Over A$1.4M (US$985,000) | Freehold | Listed, Aug 2026; 3-bedroom house |
| Ninth Island | Tasmania | 16 ha (40 acres) | From A$1.49M (US$1.05M) plus GST | Freehold | Listed, Oct 2026; raw land |
| Wedge Island, Whitsundays area | Queensland | 9.3 ha (23 acres) | A$2.4M (US$1.7M) | Lease | Listed, Feb 2025; bungalow |
| Fulham Island, near Dunalley | Tasmania | 9.7 ha (24 acres) | Over A$3.5M (US$2.46M) | Freehold | Listed, Aug 2026; jetty only |
| Ram Island, Little Swanport | Tasmania | 26 ha (64 acres) | About A$4.5M (US$3.2M) | — | Sold, Mar 2026; house and jetty |
| Clairview Island | Queensland | 267 ha (660 acres) | A$6.9M (US$4.9M) | Freehold | Listed, Feb 2025; cottage, airstrips |
| Pumpkin Island, Keppel Bay | Queensland | ~6 ha (15 acres) | About A$20M (US$14M) | Perpetual lease | Listed, Nov 2026; eco-resort |
Sources: Pulse Tasmania, commercialrealestate.com.au, Domain and Vladi Private Islands (2025–2026). Status of the February 2025 listings is not confirmed.
What this means for a buyer:
- Tasmania is the place for freehold. Almost every whole island we found for sale in 2026 with full ownership was in Tasmania.
- Asking prices fall. Ninth Island was first offered at A$2.5 million and is now from A$1.49 million.
- A house on the island changes everything for foreign buyers (see below).
- Bigger deals are resorts. Dunk Island sold for a reported A$25 million (US$17.6 million) in 2022, and Lindeman Island for A$10 million (US$7 million) in 2023.
What is the cheapest private island in Australia?
The cheapest whole island we found in 2026 was Little Green Island in Tasmania, sold for about A$330,000 (US$232,000). Part of Little Dog Island, also in Tasmania, was offered for A$520,000 (US$366,000), but that is one title on a shared island.
Freehold or lease: who really owns Australian islands
Australia has 8,222 islands, according to Geoscience Australia. Very few are private.
- Freehold means you own the land with no end date. Most freehold islands for sale are in Tasmania, Bass Strait, Victoria and New South Wales.
- Queensland leases. Most Queensland islands are government land. Private owners hold them on a term lease (often up to 50 years; at the end, buildings usually pass to the state) or a perpetual lease (no end date). The state says perpetual leases are not “99-year leases”, even though some listings say so.
- National parks. Most of the 74 Whitsunday islands and large parts of the Great Barrier Reef islands are national park. That land is not for sale.
Before you buy a lease, read our guide to freehold vs leasehold islands. Check the lease term, the rent and what happens to the buildings at the end.
Can foreigners buy a private island in Australia?
Yes, but only with approval, and with big limits right now.
- FIRB approval is needed for a foreign person to buy residential land. This also covers leases longer than 5 years, so a Queensland island lease counts.
- No established homes until 31 March 2027. A two-year ban stops foreigners buying existing houses. The only exception requires adding at least 20 new homes. So an island that already has a house is in practice closed to foreign buyers until the ban ends or is changed.
- Vacant land can be approved, but you must finish building within 4 years and cannot resell before then.
- Fees are high. The FIRB fee for vacant land worth A$1–2 million is A$31,300 (US$22,000). For an established home it is three times more. If the home stays empty more than half the year, an annual vacancy fee applies.
- Resort and farm islands may fall under commercial or agricultural rules instead. A specialist adviser should confirm which rules apply.
Owning an island does not give you a visa or residency in Australia. The investor visa programs closed in July 2024.
Taxes when you buy
Every state charges transfer duty (stamp duty) on a purchase. Foreign buyers pay an extra surcharge on top, and a yearly extra land tax.
| State | Extra duty for foreign buyers | Extra yearly land tax |
|---|---|---|
| Queensland | 8% | 3% |
| New South Wales | 9% | 5% |
| Victoria | 8% | 4% |
| Tasmania | 8% (1.5% for farm land) | 2% |
For example, a foreign buyer of a A$3 million (US$2.1 million) island in Tasmania pays about A$240,000 (US$169,000) in surcharge alone, plus normal duty and the FIRB fee.
Where are the private islands in Australia?
- Tasmania (about 1,000 islands): most of the freehold islands on the market, including Bass Strait and the Furneaux Group. Cool climate, best from November to April.
- Queensland (1,955 islands): the Whitsundays, Keppel Bay, the Fraser Coast and the Great Barrier Reef. Mostly leases and national parks.
- New South Wales and Victoria: a few river, lake and bay islands, for example in the Gippsland Lakes and on the Karuah River.
- Western Australia, the Northern Territory and South Australia: thousands of islands, but very few private ones for sale. The Abrolhos Islands are a national park.
Looking across the Pacific? See our guide to private islands for sale in Fiji.
What can you build on an Australian island?
- Local zoning decides what you can build. Some Tasmanian islands are zoned rural, so even one house needs a permit.
- Federal environment approval (EPBC) is needed if a project could harm a protected area, such as the Great Barrier Reef. Since 1 July 2026, a new national environment agency enforces this law, with stop-work powers and higher fines.
- Jetties, pontoons and moorings on the Great Barrier Reef need permits from the Reef Authority and the Queensland government.
- Bushfire rules apply in many areas. New buildings may need fire-resistant design.
- Coastal hazard maps in Queensland show land at risk of erosion and storm tide.
Most islands are off the grid. Our guides to island energy supply and drinking water on a private island compare the options.
Seasons, access and natural risks
- Cyclones: the season in northern Australia runs from November to April. North Queensland, the Top End and the coast of Western Australia are hit most often.
- Marine stingers: dangerous jellyfish are a risk in tropical Queensland waters, mostly from November to May.
- Bushfire: a risk on wooded islands in dry summers.
- Access: by boat, barge, helicopter or a private airstrip. Some islands can only be reached around high tide.
How to buy an island in Australia: step by step
- Check the type of ownership: freehold, term lease or perpetual lease.
- Foreign buyers: get FIRB advice first. Do not sign an unconditional contract before approval.
- Check the zoning and what you are allowed to build.
- Check environmental limits: national park boundaries, the Reef, protected species.
- Check access: jetty, mooring, mainland landing and parking.
- Sign the contract with conditions for approvals, and settle through a conveyancer or lawyer.
Risks and what to check
- Lease terms: an end date, rent reviews or rules that buildings return to the state.
- Foreign buyer rules: the ban on established homes until March 2027, and the high FIRB fees.
- Cyclone and bushfire insurance: cost and availability.
- Building approvals: rural zoning or environmental rules may block a new house.
- Access in bad weather: tides, barges and the distance to the nearest town.
A local property lawyer should check the title or lease, the zoning and the approvals before you sign anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Freehold islands are rare and mostly in Tasmania. In Queensland most islands are held on government leases.
In 2025–2026, small Tasmanian islands sold or were listed from about A$330,000 to A$4.5 million (US$230,000–3.2 million). Queensland islands with a house cost about A$2–7 million, and resort islands A$20 million and more.
Only with FIRB approval. Until 31 March 2027, foreigners cannot in practice buy an island with an existing house. Vacant land can be approved if you build within 4 years.
Most are not. They are held on term or perpetual leases from the state, and many are national park.
Normal stamp duty plus a foreign buyer surcharge of 8–9% depending on the state, the FIRB fee and a yearly land tax surcharge of 2–5%.
No. Owning property does not give a visa or residency.
8,222, according to Geoscience Australia. Western Australia has the most.
From November to April in the tropical north.
Prices are asking prices unless marked sold, not valuations. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Sources
- https://www.ga.gov.au/scientific-topics/national-location-information/landforms/islands
- https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/land/state/use/tourism-islands
- https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/jim-chalmers-2022/media-releases/albanese-government-clamping-down-foreign-purchase
- https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals-and-families/investments-and-assets/foreign-resident-investments/foreign-investment-in-australia/fees-for-foreign-residential-investors
- https://www.sro.tas.gov.au/property-transfer-duties/foreign-investor-duty-surcharge/rates-of-surcharge
- https://www2.gbrmpa.gov.au/access/permits/structure-permits
- https://www.bom.gov.au/resources/learn-and-explore/tropical-cyclone-knowledge-centre
- https://pulsetasmania.com.au/news/three-whole-tasmanian-islands-and-two-island-parcels-up-for-sale/
