In its brief documented history, Bedarra Island has been known by a number of different names...To the local indigenous peoples, the Djiru, the island held special significance and was referred to as Biagurra - the place of perennial water in reference to the six freshwater springs found on the island.

When James Cook sailed his ship the Endeavour amidst the small group of islands (including Bedarra) he charted them as the �Family Islands�. In June 1770, Cook named the largest island of the group �The Father Isle� and titled it Dunk Island after Lord Montagu Dunk the Earl of Sandwich and the First Lord of the British Admiralty. The second largest island of the group (Bedarra) he named �The Mother Isle�, but no title was given. Similarly, the remaining 14 islands were only noted as �The Children�.

When Lieutenant Richards surveyed the area he titled all the islands within the Family group. From 1886 marine maps showed The Mother Isle as Richards with the other islands in the group taking the name of officers who served aboard Richards� ship the Paluma.

It was in the early 1900s when author E.J. Banfield, the original Dunk Island beachcomber, was thought to have misconstrued the Aboriginal pronunciation of Biagurra as �Bedarra� and it was his book, �Confessions of A Beachcomber�, that inspired the first Europeans to take up residency on Bedarra Island.

Captain Henry Allason, an Englishman in search of an island paradise similar to Banfield�s, began negotiations with the Queensland Lands Department. A purchase price of 20 pounds granted Allason ownership of Richards and a neighbouring island and in 1913 Allason and his wife settled on the western side of the island. Whilst Lands Department maps labelled the island Allison � an incorrect spelling - the couple enjoyed an idyllic existence on their island home until the events of World War I forced a return to Europe.

During the twenties, Ivan Menzies - an actor with the Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company - sought out Allason who was recuperating in France. Menzies� planned to persuade Allason to sell the island so that a home for underprivileged English boys could be established. Allason sold the island for 500 pounds and never returned to the island.

The boys� home project failed to eventuate and in 1932 Menzies, who had never visited the island, sold his title to the Harris Syndicate of London.

For the next forty years, Bedarra Island was divided into several different holdings, each undergoing a series of small developments by Australian and European owners.

Australian artist Noel Wood visited the island in 1936 and negotiated the purchase of a portion of land where he and wife Eleanor could settle. Wood chose a site near the mangroves on the opposite side of the peninsula to Doorila Bay. However, the impact of tides on the area and the inconvenience of not being able to swim at low tide caused him to change his mind - the couple moved to Doorila Bay. The Woods lived on the island until 1993 when their parcel of land was subdivided and sold. Eight privately owned villas are now located on this section of Bedarra Island. Frank Coleman, a Queenslander from the Atherton Tableland, joined the Wood�s shortly after their arrival. In 1938 Coleman and his family took ownership of the island negotiating purchase of the lease from the Harris Syndicate and the first paying guests began to arrive on the island.

In 1940, artist John Busst leased the south-eastern corner of the island from the Coleman brothers � at ten shillings a week. Later that year, Charlie and Arthur Coleman sold the entire island - apart from Noel Wood�s section - to Englishman Dick Greatrix and Frenchman, Pierre Huret. Both had been guests on the island.

Greatrix and Huret began laying out garden designs and introducing exotic plants to the rainforest. Seven years later, the two Europeans sold the island to John Busst and his sister Phyllis.

The Bussts sold the section of the island developed by Greatrix and Huret and over the years several entrepreneurs developed small resort-style accommodations on various parts of the island.

In 1957, after several years and numerous changes in ownership, Ken and Cynthia Druitt became owners of a section of the island. The Druitts developed a small resort featuring cabins quietly hidden in the rainforest, just metres away from secluded beaches - the legend of Bedarra Hideaway Resort had begun.

John Busst sold his section of the Island - now known as Bedarra Bay - to Colin Scott, a grazier from Omeo, Victoria.

In 1979, Bedarra Bay was sold to Tor Hulten, a Swede who converted the property into a small resort which became known as Toranna Plantation.

In 1980, Australian Airlines, owners of neighbouring Dunk Island Resort, purchased the section of the island owned by Ken and Cynthia Druitt and Bedarra Hideaway Resort was opened in August 1981.

Earlier the same year, Australian Airlines had also purchased Toranna Plantation and began operating day trips to Bedarra Island as a day retreat for Dunk Island guests. In 1988, Bedarra Island Resort was opened on the site of the old Toranna Plantation resort and quickly established itself as Australia�s most exclusive retreat.

Australian Airlines was later taken over by Qantas Airways with Qantas becoming the owner of both resorts on Bedarra Island. Australian Resorts, as part of the Qantas Group, decided to focus all operational efforts on one resort and as such Bedarra Hideaway Resort was closed in October 1991.

On 24 December 1997, the fifteen-villa Bedarra Island Resort, and two more Qantas properties Brampton and Dunk Islands, was purchased by P&O Resorts. P&O Australian Resorts took control of the property on 1 March 1998.

In June 1998 Bedarra Island Resort was closed for a month-long refurbishment and re-opened on 8 July. The island resort has become an international destination, maintaining a reputation for ensuring privacy and providing the ultimate escape. The private retreat with only 15 villas and the island�s 24 hour bar has become legendary.

Bedarra Island re-opened on 26 May 2001 following a one month closure and $1.5million refurbishment program.

For further media information: (not for publication)

Julia Gauci P&O Australian Resorts 61-2-9364-8350 or julia_gauci@poaustralia.com