There’s a moment when I step onto Makepeace Island and feel the outside world loosen its grip. The boat pulls away from the jetty, palms rustle overhead, and suddenly, deadlines, traffic, and notifications feel wonderfully irrelevant. Hidden within the Noosa River, this 22-acre private island feels less like a resort and more like slipping into someone’s impossibly stylish tropical home. It’s easy to understand why guests arrive planning to explore Noosa, then quietly decide they’d rather never leave the island.
From Pig Island to Richard Branson’s Noosa hideaway
Before it became one of Australia’s most exclusive private retreats, this island had a far rougher beginning.
Originally known as Pig Island, it once operated as a quarantine station for pigs, while nearby Goat Island performed much the same role for goats. In the 1920s, an English couple built a simple Queenslander on the island and employed a housekeeper named Hannah Makepeace.
When the couple died without children, they left the island to Hannah, who became one of Noosa’s most colourful local characters.
During my visit, co-owner Brett Godfrey shared stories about the woman locals still affectionately call “Shotgun Hannah”.
Back then, the Noosa River was isolated and far wilder than the polished holiday destination visitors know today. Hannah lived alone on the island carrying a shotgun for protection. According to local legend, one gunshot meant “help”, while two meant “don’t worry, I got him”.
She reportedly walked barefoot into town with plastic bags tied around her feet.
The ghost stories still linger too.
Brett described hearing what sounded like someone running through the hallway of one of the bures late at night, the strange rustling sound eerily similar to plastic bags skimming across timber floors. Only later did he learn Hannah’s habit of wrapping bags around her feet.
“She’s Casper,” he joked. “The friendly ghost.”
The island eventually passed through several owners before Brett Godfrey and Richard Branson purchased it from an artistic couple known as the Spencers. Brett admitted the negotiation wasn’t exactly textbook business strategy.
“We paid the asking price,” he laughed. “Which you should never do.”
Today, the island still carries unmistakable touches of Branson-style escapism, mixing barefoot luxury with playful experiences and complete privacy. While Branson owns famous private islands in the Caribbean, Makepeace Island brings that same fantasy to the Noosa River with a distinctly Australian and Balinese twist.
Originally, though, the island wasn’t intended to become a commercial luxury retreat at all.
“We built this place originally just for our staff and friends,” Brett explained during our visit. “Then we thought everyone should get a chance to experience it.”
Relaxing inside Makepeace Island, Richard Branson’s luxury private island retreat hidden in the heart of the Noosa River.
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The Balinese-inspired design at Makepeace Island blends tropical luxury with relaxed Noosa style.
Hidden in the Noosa River, Makepeace Island delivers a luxury island escape without leaving Queensland.
Why Makepeace Island Is Perfect for Luxury Family Holidays in Noosa
One thing that strikes me almost immediately is how naturally the island works for multigenerational holidays.
Children disappear happily into scavenger hunts, baking classes, movie nights and water sports while adults finally exhale into holiday mode. There’s no frantic resort energy here. No competition for loungers. No awkward rush for dinner reservations.
Instead, the experience quietly adapts around the guests.
Some people head out kayaking or paddleboarding on the river. Others settle into massages, long lunches or sunset drinks beside the pool. Staff somehow seem to anticipate what guests want before they ask.
It feels deeply personal rather than transactional.
RELATED POST: I learned how to make these delicious Japanese gyoza on Makepeace Island.
One of the most exclusive luxury stays in Noosa, Makepeace Island accommodates up to 22 guests across tropical villas and bures.
The oversized soaking tubs at Makepeace Island are reason enough to book a stay.
The Giant Soaking Tub That Made Me Want to Book Makepeace Island Again
Luxury hotels often talk a big game about bathrooms, but the oversized soaking tubs at Makepeace Island genuinely deserve their own fan club.
During my tour of the island, I found myself mentally rearranging my calendar purely to justify a return visit involving a long bath, a glass of wine and absolutely no intention of leaving the room before dinner.
The bathrooms are enormous, wrapped in warm timber and Balinese-inspired textures that feel both tropical and calming. But it’s the bathtub that becomes the centrepiece. Deep, sculptural and unapologetically indulgent, it feels designed for the sort of holiday where time slows down completely.
Some suites open onto lush greenery while others lean into the island’s dreamy indoor-outdoor atmosphere, making the bath feel less like a hotel feature and more like a private retreat hidden within the retreat itself.
It’s exactly the kind of space that makes you start calculating how early you can sneak away from afternoon activities to disappear into magnesium salts and silence.
Honestly, I would book Makepeace Island for the bathtub alone. Everything else, the river cruises, chef-led dining, tropical gardens and private-island atmosphere, simply becomes an added bonus.
Dining at Makepeace Island focuses on local Queensland produce, wild-caught seafood and chef-led experiences.
Dining at Makepeace Island: Chef-Led Luxury Food Experiences in Noosa
The food becomes one of the highlights of my stay.
Executive chef Zeb explains that menus change daily according to the guests, the produce available and whatever inspires the kitchen team that morning. Because the island caters for relatively small numbers, they can source from boutique local growers and fishermen rather than large-scale suppliers.
One course features creamy goat cheese sourced through the Yandina markets. The fish is wild-caught locally by fishermen the chef has worked with for nearly 20 years. Dessert heroes fragrant Mary Valley yuzu cured in gin and sugar.
Even the dining locations constantly shift. Breakfast unfolds overlooking the river. Lunch appears poolside. Dinner arrives beneath softly lit palms or aboard the island’s custom-built barge drifting slowly through the Noosa waterways at sunset.
Each meal feels immersive and thoughtfully staged without ever becoming pretentious.
The tropical pool and gardens at Makepeace Island create the feeling of a hidden island retreat in Queensland.
Sunset River Cruises and Private Experiences at Makepeace Island
The island’s barge experience becomes one of my favourite moments.
Originally built as a work vessel during renovations, it has evolved into a floating dining room complete with lounge seating and kitchen facilities. As we drift through the river system with cocktails and canapés, waterfront mansions slide past while the sky turns sherbet pink and gold. It feels unmistakably Noosa, but slower, softer and more intimate.
In cooler months, the team swaps sunset cruises for leisurely brunch sailings complete with sparkling wine and generous breakfasts. Honestly, either option sounds dangerously easy to get used to.
What Makes Makepeace Island One of Australia’s Most Unique Luxury Escapes
I’ve stayed in enough luxury hotels to know beautiful rooms alone aren’t enough anymore.
What makes Makepeace Island memorable is the feeling it creates. Phones slowly disappear. Conversations stretch longer. Kids roam barefoot between activities while adults linger over another glass of wine beneath the palms. The pace softens almost without anyone noticing.
During our visit, Brett Godfrey describes it as:
“The place where I’m happiest.”
By the time I leave, I understand exactly what he means.
Frequently Asked Questions About Makepeace Island Noosa
Where is Makepeace Island?
Makepeace Island is located in the Noosa River, around 10 minutes from Hastings Street and Noosa Heads on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
Who owns Makepeace Island?
Makepeace Island is co-owned by Richard Branson and aviation entrepreneur Brett Godfrey, the founder of Virgin Blue Airlines.
Can you stay on Makepeace Island?
Yes. Makepeace Island operates as an exclusive-use private island retreat with accommodation for up to 22 guests across Balinese-inspired villas and bures.
Is Makepeace Island adults only?
No. While the island is popular for luxury escapes and corporate retreats, it is also designed for families and multigenerational holidays, with activities including scavenger hunts, movie nights, water sports and baking classes for children.
What food experiences are offered at Makepeace Island?
Dining is a major part of the experience, with chef-led menus changing daily based on seasonal Queensland produce and guest preferences. Experiences can include long lunches, poolside dining, barge cruises, degustation dinners and outdoor barbecues.
Does Makepeace Island have a pool?
Yes. The island features a large lagoon-style pool surrounded by tropical gardens, along with lounges, entertaining areas and private spaces to relax.
Is Makepeace Island suitable for weddings?
Yes, although weddings are limited and selectively hosted to maintain the island’s intimate atmosphere.
How do you get to Makepeace Island?
Guests arrive via private boat transfer from the mainland near Noosa.
What makes Makepeace Island unique?
Unlike traditional luxury resorts, Makepeace Island focuses on exclusive-use stays, highly personalised experiences and immersive dining. Its blend of Balinese architecture, Noosa River setting, celebrity ownership and colourful local history gives it a distinctive atmosphere that feels both luxurious and deeply relaxed.
How much for all this luxury?
A stay at Makepeace Island starts at around $20,000 per night for exclusive use of the island for up to eight guests. There’s an additional per person, per-night cost for additional guests, with the island accommodating up to 22 guests.
The nightly rate includes:
- Luxury accommodation
- All meals prepared by the island’s chef team
- Non-alcoholic beverages
- Boat transfers
- Water sports and activities
- Sunset river cruises
- Cooking classes
- Kids’ activities
- Use of the pool, spa, tennis court and gym
- Twice-daily housekeeping
Peak holiday periods, particularly late December and early January, attract a surcharge of around 30%.
When you break it down across a large family group or celebration, the pricing starts to feel more “luxury villa takeover” than traditional hotel room rates. Think private chef, private island and barefoot Noosa fantasy rather than standard resort accommodation. Like hiring your own tropical village… only with much better bathtubs.
More information on Makepeace Island
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