For the right price, you could own an island on the Great Barrier Reef

Ariel Bogle
Updated
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If you've always wanted to own a tropical island, now is your chance. Although, if you have a spare A$30 million ($23 million) or so to throw down on some real estate, you'll likely have more than a few chances.

Keswick Island, located in the Whitsundays region of the Great Barrier Reef, is up for sale. The stunning island is currently owned Keswick Developments, which is headed up by "family friend to the royal family," Edward Dawson-Damer, the Australian Financial Review reported.

SEE ALSO: Sea turtles in Great Barrier Reef are dying from mysterious tumors

Even if you're not royal by association, for a truckload of cash, you could become the proud owner of 517 hectares (1,278 acres) of land, complete with 400 hectares (988 acres) of national park. 

The sale is being facilitated by Colliers International, which said in an emailed statement Keswick features "quintessential island scenes of white sandy beaches and clear water that is home to colourful coral reefs, turtles, dolphins and whales." According to the agency, the island is approved for large-scale development with up to 1,000 dwellings and 3,000 people.

While tourism on the reef generates millions of dollars, the region is increasingly under threat. A global coral bleaching event has affected its northern and central reaches thanks to warmer than average sea temperatures caused by a combination of the El Niño and global warming.

Coral bleaching occurs when coral expels the algae in its tissue that gives it colour and nutrients. Caused by stresses including warmer water temperatures and pollution, bleaching makes coral more vulnerable to disease and can lead to coral die-offs.

While the Whitsundays area mostly escaped the devastating event in early 2016 — the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority estimated in June the average coral loss in the area was 3 percent — the entire reef remains a fragile ecological site.

Maybe the buyer will have a heart and turn the whole of Keswick into a giant nature reserve.