Over the last 12 months, communities all over Far North Queensland have been devastated by a string of natural disasters: bushfires, floods, cyclones, and more bushfires.
From other parts of the country, we’ve watched on as homes were lost, businesses were destroyed, and people’s lives were thrown into disarray.
But amongst the devastation, we’ve also witnessed communities banding together under the most trying of circumstances. People helping each other through some of the worst moments of their lives.
Every step of the way, teams of emergency services workers and SES volunteers have put themselves in harm’s way to help the search and rescue, and recovery efforts. Supporting those efforts has been some of Morris Group’s own.
Aside from their usual day-to-day business of tourism and corporate helicopter services, the team from Nautilus Aviation has a long, proud history of providing helicopter search and rescue, firefighting, and medevac transportation across North Queensland and the Northern Territory.
Chief Operations Officer Morgan Sills says the last year has certainly kept the team on their toes.
This time last year we had multiple helicopters in Burketown and Normanton providing flood relief for residents for about six weeks,” Morgan said.
“Shortly after that we went straight into bushfire season working in the remote areas west of Cairns, where we had seven pilots working to protect homes.
Nautilus Aviation Chief Operations Officer, Morgan Sills
“We were helping out by water bombing the fires and providing air attack which is coordinating the bombers from the air as well as mapping the active fire edge. We were able to save multiple assets and homes.”
Unfortunately, the fires were just the beginning. The team then switched gears to help out when Tropical Cyclone Jasper brought a deluge of rain unlike anything the region had ever seen before. With that came a few extra complications.
“The Cairns airport went completely underwater which had a severe impact on our largest base and head office,” Morgan said.
“Pretty much straight after that we were tasked by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and Queensland Police to fly emergency crews to the remote Indigenous communities of Wujal Wujal, Ayton and Degarra who were impacted by heavy, fast-flowing flood waters.
“This operation went on for many weeks because there were countless people all over the region that had been cut off. We helped out with evacuations, surveying damage from the air, resupply, transporting government workers, and carrying materials and fuel.”
While every day on disaster recovery comes with its fair share of stories, Morgan says some hit home a bit more than others.
“I was doing welfare checks with two police officers in the Daintree Valley after Cyclone Jasper, and we landed at a house that had been completely isolated and cut off for four days,” he said.
“An elderly woman came out of the house. She was running out of food, water and fuel for her generator, and had no phone service because the phone towers had gone down in her area. She was due to have her pacemaker replaced in a few days and had no way of contacting anyone.
“The look of relief and gratitude on her face was very rewarding. We were stoked to be able to help her out of a scary situation.”
Morgan says the very nature of working during a disaster means it comes with its fair share of challenges. But with that, there’s also a big reward.
“The work itself can be very sporadic. Quite often you’ll be in the air heading back to base after a job and you’ll be sent a latitude and longitude for another job, and you have to just figure out a safe place to land when you get there,” he said.
“It takes a lot of on-the-spot critical decision making that you don’t usually have in our normal everyday work because that’s planned out weeks in advance.
“It’s also a really busy time for our operations team receiving the jobs and tasking them to the helicopters they have available; and for our support staff on the ground with refuelling and loading up helicopters for up to 12 hours a day.
“But at the end of the day, it’s a good feeling knowing that what you’re doing is providing people and communities with the essential care and support, and making a difference for people who are in a very dire situation.”
Morris Escapes’ latest jewel in the crown, Pelorus Private Island has officially opened its doors.
Perched on the pristine waters of the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef, Pelorus Private Island offers an utterly secluded oasis like no other, accessible via a breathtaking 30–90-minute private helicopter charter from Townsville or Cairns, or by superyacht.
Neighbouring Morris Escapes’ Orpheus Island Lodge, Pelorus boasts a naturally isolated residence, featuring five luxurious suites, surrounded by 400 hectares of untouched habitat.
Designed by Melbourne-based design and interior architecture studio, Dubois, Pelorus combines timeless design with the breathtaking beauty of the Great Barrier Reef.
Crafted with clean-lines and a contemporary aesthetic, the spacious dwelling is clad with white-washed shiplap inside and out, boasting five ocean-facing suites only a stone’s throw from the reef, and decorated with natural linen fabrics, hand-made custom furniture and lavish ensuites with spotted gum benchtops.
Spacious, light-filled communal lounges and dining areas are complete with stunning Coral Sea views over the beachfront pool and generous spotted gum verandas with comfortable nooks and lounges.
Natural hardwood timber posts and hand-sanded feature columns support the expansive cathedral-inspired ceilings, with Palladian limestone and quartzite stone benchtops throughout.
The residence is powered only by solar panels and batteries, ensuring a self-sustainable energy supply, with natural materials and ventilation systems incorporated into the design to minimise the hideaway’s environmental impact.
Guests are invited to indulge in relaxation and barefoot adventure, with Great Barrier Reef activities including diving and snorkeling, guided jet ski and seabob tours, and reef fishing all on offer, as well as boat charters to the Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA) installation.
The island also provides access to the untouched wilderness of Hinchinbrook Island, Australia’s largest island national park, home to rainforest-clad hiking trails, cascading waterfalls, abundant wildlife and diverse flora.
Back at the residence, a private chef awaits, alongside a fully stocked bar, teppanyaki grill, Big Green Egg barbeque and Ooni pizza oven.
Pelorus Private Island joins Morris Group’s North Queensland tourism portfolio curated to offer uniquely Australian experiences that have elevated the region’s position as a world-class tourist destination.
“With the region welcoming the news of an ultra-luxe accommodation offering, Pelorus Private Island puts Queensland in a competitive global landscape, by boasting a rare offering of unparalleled levels of privacy and personalised service that is unique in this part of the world,” Morris Group Founder and Executive Chairman Chris Morris said.
“We’re already starting to fill the year with bookings and can’t wait to share this exceptional product with guests from around the globe.”
What people are saying about Pelorus Private Island
“Pelorus Private Island isn’t a resort as much as an ultra-luxe holiday home with an entire island as its backyard.”
The Herald Sun
“Complete with several hundred hectares of virgin forest, a private chef, architecturally designed villas, and unlimited privacy, this could be one of Australia’s very best accommodations.”
~ Nick Kenyon, Boss Hunting
If you’ve never worked in a hotel before, you’ve probably never thought about what goes on behind the scenes to make your holiday seamless at every stage of the journey.
The video of that amazing view that catches your eye on social media. The website where you book your stay. The form you fill out when you check-in. The design of your room. The selection of treats in the mini bar. The way you order room service. The room cleaning schedule. The type of towel waiting for you on the poolside sunlounge.
Every single detail has been thoughtfully considered, meticulously planned, and specifically chosen to create that unique experience; and everything has a team of people making it happen.
So, what does it actually take to open a brand-new hotel? Beth Van Kooten might know a thing or two about the subject.
As the Front Office Manager for The Ville Resort-Casino and more recently of Townsville’s first five-star hotel Ardo, Beth and her team were involved in the huge task of making the concept of relaxed, North Queensland luxury a reality.
In December, Beth was able to watch as 18 months of tireless work finally came to fruition when Ardo officially welcomed its first guests.
“For me, being at the grand opening and seeing everyone’s faces when they saw the final product was such a full circle moment,” Beth said.
“I could finally step back and see everything we accomplished.”
Getting to that point was no easy feat. Leading the hotel operations team meant working through quite the to-do list if Ardo was going to be ready for its highly anticipated opening.
Aside from some of the fun little jobs like testing mini bar options and bathroom products, Beth and her team were tasked with building and preparing all of the systems that work in the background to run every aspect of the hotel.
There was also developing labour plans and rostering; forecasting the hotel’s revenue and developing revenue strategies; working closely with travel agencies, major corporate accounts, and third-party booking sites to build anticipation about Ardo, quality control over the hotel rooms and amenities; and setting up office spaces to run as efficiently as possible.
But there was one aspect of the project that was crucial to Ardo’s success pre-opening and beyond.
“The biggest job was training and motivating the team. It’s easy to get bogged down in the administration requirements when you’re opening a hotel because it’s a huge feat, but you can’t do it without a dedicated and passionate team,” she said.
“Recruitment was very challenging. We have a big skillset shortage in our industry after COVID, so we had to be innovative and not focus on putting people in roles for the sake of it and spend the time finding the right fits.
“I’m so proud of the team we’ve pulled together and what we’ve achieved. Without them we wouldn’t have seen the hotel open as successfully as it did. I feel so lucky to be working with such a wonderful group of people who have dedicated a lot of their time and energy in ensuring this project was a success.”
To help with the huge task of training a fresh team to operate a shiny new hotel and make sure it lives up to the Ardo promise of luxury, Beth enlisted some help from within Morris Group’s ranks.
The team at Northern Escape Collection (NEC) is all too familiar with what it takes to deliver a true luxury experience at Orpheus Island Lodge, Mt Mulligan Lodge, and the newly opened Pelorus Private Island.
Enter Ian Ireland. One of NEC’s long-serving team members, Ian first started as Restaurant Manager on Orpheus Island back in 2016 and has since been an Assistant Lodge Manager at Mt Mulligan Lodge, worked in the reservations team, and provided management support across the lodges.
Having worked in hospitality and tourism for over a decade, Ian’s also had a crash course in opening a few new hotels including Hayman Island and Crown Towers in Perth.
Ian’s role on the Ardo project was to support Beth in training the team and setting up all the processes behind the scenes to ensure the Ardo experience was a memorable one for its guests.
“The main goal was to ensure a seamless first interaction with the reservations team,” Ian said.
“We knew that guests at Ardo would have higher expectations from their stay, so the level of detail we needed to collect from the beginning was really important; from asking for arrival times, some of their food and drink preferences, and making restaurant reservations prior to their arrival. It’s knowing those details that make the difference in service.”
From there, training was all about following the simple ‘practice makes perfect’ method.
“I always say a hotel is like a rugby team. The longer we train together the better we perform together,” Ian said.
“It’s about looking closely at the daily operations, pinpointing what doesn’t work, and finding ways to fix it; whether we need a quick five-minute catch up with the housekeeping team to go over room allocations, or to liaise with the VIP Concierge team to go over pick-up and drop-off times.”
Beth says the collaboration with Northern Escape Collection has been instrumental in helping her build a strong and efficient team.
“Ian has been so supportive throughout the process. Together we’ve been able to set up a way of doing things that works best for our team and ultimately our guests,” she said.
“The team has grown so much. We are more adaptable, we are more innovative, we have a larger skillset, and we support each other every step of the way.”
Behind the scenes of Morris Group’s tourism and hospitality businesses there’s change in the air.
It’s not the kind of change that would be immediately obvious to the untrained eye, but the impact is significant and undeniable.
Earlier in the year, the executive leadership team from Morris Hospitality, Northern Escape Collection, and The Ville Resort-Casino started meeting regularly to find ways the businesses can work more closely together with a particular slant on food and beverage.
Their collaboration has meant that in the months that have followed, they’ve managed to make some changes that have seen them reduce costs, improve processes, share knowledge, and find new ways to approach problems as one team rather than individual businesses.
But one of the biggest advantages of the businesses coming together has been their ability to flex their purchasing power as a collective and negotiate better deals with suppliers to benefit everyone.
Strength in numbers
Northern Escape Collection (NEC) CEO Ross Penegar said the collaboration was a no-brainer.
Northern Escape Collection CEO, Ross Penegar
“It just made sense for us all to come together. It means we can really take a close look at some of the top-level stuff that tends to get lost in day-to-day operations,” he said.
“And for us, because NEC’s properties are smaller, more boutique, and all-inclusive, we don’t go through as much stock as The Ville or any of the Morris Hospitality pubs so our ability to negotiate on our own is pretty limited.
“So, when we join our lodges with all the other venues, it works out well for us all.”
But Ross says over time the coordinated effort has evolved from being focused just on food and beverage suppliers.
“We’ve also started moving into things like hotel amenities. So across Northern Escape Collection, The Ville, and Ardo there will be consistency with the amenities,” he said.
“And it also means that we can look at our whole supply chains from a sustainability point of view and see whether we can make any improvements in terms of the impact we’re making as a group.”
A world of opportunity
The Ville CEO Michael Jones said collaboration between the three business also means opening up new opportunities for staff across the group.
“Something we’ve been talking about a lot is how we give staff the opportunity to move around between the different businesses more easily,” he said.
The Ville Resort -Casino & Ardo CEO, Michael Jones
“If people are wanting to develop their skills and grow their career in hospitality, there’s a huge benefit in getting some experience in a range of different venues and roles. It’s good for staff, and it’s good for the business to have experienced people sharing their expertise around the group.”
“We also know that some of our venues have higher demand depending on the season, so what we’re working towards is giving people those opportunities to move from Townsville to do a summer at Portsea Hotel or go from one of the Melbourne venues in winter and work at Orpheus Island.”
Knowledge is power
Morris Hospitality’s Chief Operations Officer Paul Fitzsimmons said another important outcome of the businesses operating more closely has come in the form of sharing knowledge and ideas.
It’s perhaps most evident in the “all hands on deck” attitude that’s been the driving force behind getting the group’s new hotel Ardo up and running.
Morris Hospitality Chief Operations Officer, Paul Fitzsimmons
“We’ve had people from across all the businesses bringing their particular skills and knowledge to get everything set up for Ardo, it’s really been a huge team effort,” he said.
“Morris Group Executive Chef Peter Reffell and Head of Wine Brad Hammond have been involved in developing the food and wine menus respectively; Ian Ireland from Northern Escape Collection has helped on hotel amenities and with training for the reservations team.”
Paul says hearing about the different business’ individual successes has also helped them adopt new ideas to try across the group.
“The Morris Hospitality venues have been having some really great results from the CBCo Brewing Unofficial Beer of Thursday promotion in the last few months, so now we’re launching it at The Ville to see if it does the same there.”
Bridging the gaps
Apart from the obvious benefits to the business, Ross, Michael and Paul all agree that the added bonus is being able to build strong relationships with their peers across the group.
“We all run quite different businesses, have different backgrounds, and our individual strengths, so in that respect it’s been really great to learn from each other and see things from a different perspective,” Ross said.
“I’ve really been enjoying the opportunity to get to know everyone a bit better. We all knew each other to some degree before, but we never really had the chance to work closely together and build those relationships. That can only be a positive thing for the business,” Michael said.
“It’s been great being able to draw on people’s different experience and pick each other’s brains to come up with the best solutions,” Paul said.
“I think the more we do that across the group at all levels, the better the outcomes are going to be.”
Townsville’s first luxury hotel, Ardo has officially opened with its first guests checking in today.
From high-end accommodation across 132 rooms and suites, world-class dining, and a luxurious day spa to a stunning rooftop pool deck with postcard-worthy views across the Coral Sea, Ardo is set to redefine North Queensland’s hotel landscape.
Ardo and The Ville CEO Michael Jones said Ardo is one of the most highly anticipated hotel openings of the year for Queensland.
“Ardo is unlike anything Townsville has ever seen, it is a luxurious offering that will elevate how visitors can experience this beautiful tropical region,” Mr Jones said.
“It is the perfect getaway for couples, families and friends, there truly is something for everyone and we’re so excited to welcome our first guests.”
Guests will be able to choose from three different hotel room options including Courtyard, Marina or Ocean, with each room offering luxurious space and either a private balcony or courtyard to bask in the tropical breeze.
All rooms and suites are finished with cork floors paired with free-form concrete ceilings and bespoke bathrooms in terrazzo surfaces and mosaic tiles, complemented by make-up mirror, dual shower heads with rainfall shower and fluffy bathrobes. Plus enjoy high-tech inclusions such as a tablet control centre, Wi-Fi, LCD television and streaming of all your favourite apps.
The suites and rooms are complete with all of the five-star service inclusions you would expect, from a fully stocked gourmet mini bar, lavish in-room dining and first-class housekeeping – so you don’t have to lift a finger.
When it comes to dining, guests will be able to choose from three restaurant offerings, the biggest luxury multi-restaurant launch ever seen in Townsville, each designed to sit at the top of Queensland’s culinary experiences list.
Marmor is inspired by the region’s world-class meat and seafood offerings with a focus on offering contemporary Australian cuisine; while the casual yet cool Japanese restaurant, Terasu, will present a lively take on traditional Japanese fare.
The signature Ardo Rooftop, overlooking the stunning infinity pool and coral sea, is the perfect place to unwind and let your worries float away. Restaurants are strictly bookings only.
For those looking for some pampering, the Ardo Day Spa will launch a new level of resort-styled relaxation. Ardo guests will also be able to access The Ville precinct’s amenities which include the famous oceanside swimming pool with a swim-up bar, hotel gym and casino.
Visit Ardo Hotel to book your stay or subscribe to receive updates.
From today, Morris Group, Morris Family Foundation, Morris Technology, and Morris Aviation will share a common look and feel.
More than just a new logo and some new colours, our new brand helps to bring our businesses closer together.
Our new identity reflects how connected we are, recognising that when we work together, we become something greater – more than the sum of our parts.
About the new brand
The inspiration for the new logo comes from Morris Group’s foundations as a family-owned business. It starts with the letter ‘M’ representing Chris Morris and the Morris family.
From there it draws inspiration from our culture of working together across our collection of businesses spread across Australia and the world. We may be geographically distant, but we’re inherently connected.
And so, many M’s connect to form our icon.
The new brand colour is modern, vibrant, and energetic, but with a nod to our heritage. Purple is the colour synonymous with Computershare, the first company founded by Chris Morris.
Morris Technology and Morris Aviation will adopt the core purple branding, while Morris Family Foundation features a bright yellow colour to reflect the optimism and energy of the work it does with partner organisations progressing environmental and social justice.
Our new visual identity has been brought to life on the new Morris Group website, which is now live and ready to be explored.
It’s a philosophy that’s served him well time after time – from his humble beginnings growing and selling tomatoes during his early days as a computer programmer; through to founding Computershare and building it into an ASX Top-50 global company.
He’s more interested in following his instincts and his passions, than to develop a 10-year masterplan that’ll never come to fruition.
Leading with the heart
This approach has meant that as Morris Group has grown, the business has become more reflective of Chris himself and all the things that bring him joy. Great pubs with good food and wine, craft brewing, holidays in idyllic locations, and cruising the open waters.
His decision to purchase the legendary Portsea Hotel, for example, was made more with the heart strings than with the purse strings. It’s a toast to fond memories of summers spent on the Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.
A view of Port Phillip Bay from Portsea Hotel
“It’s the place where I had my first drink and I think probably half of Victoria’s teenagers had their first drink at the Portsea Hotel. It’s such an iconic place and when it came up for sale in the late 90s, I had nothing to do with pubs. I was just running Computershare. But that’s how it all started.”
Since then, his collection of pubs has grown, each with their own connection and story, and all adored by their local communities in their unique way.
A tropical love affair
Although he spends a lot of his time these days on Queensland’s Gold Coast enjoying what he describes as some of the world’s best beaches, it’s the state’s far north that has really captured his imagination and become the beating heart of Morris Group’s tourism portfolio.
Chris’ well documented love affair with North Queensland began when his dream of owning an island resort finally became within reach.
“It was back in 2011. I just saw an ad in the Financial Review about an island for sale called Orpheus Island,” he says.
“Some people dream of owning a pub, but owning an island was pretty attractive to me.”
In more recent years, he’s further cemented his love for this slice of paradise by acquiring the nearby Pelorus Island, now home to some of Australia’s most exclusive private residence accommodation, nestled on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef: Pelorus Private Island.
“It’s unquestionably the best beach. You can swim off the beach about 20 metres and there’s some of the best coral you’ve ever seen. It’s just totally unique and there’s nobody else on the island. It’s pretty special,” he says.
“I obviously love my boats and spending time on the Mediterranean and enjoying the history and all of that. But the thing about being on the boat in The Med is that there’s absolutely no fish.
“That’s the thing I love about North Queensland. Around Pelorus and Orpheus Island there’s fish everywhere and you won’t see another boat. I love fishing off the boat, catching a coral trout or a red emperor and then eating it that night – there’s really nothing better.”
The beach and reef at Orpheus Island in North Queensland
The luck of the draw
Perhaps one of Chris’ luckiest catches though, was when Townsville’s Jupiters Hotel & Casino went up for sale in 2013 – and it was almost the one that got away.
Initially, his main interest in the property was as a potential location for helicopter transfers for guests to and from Orpheus Island and for handling stock deliveries.
But when he took a tour, he saw a glimmer of potential. A bold vision and an extensive redevelopment later and The Ville Resort-Casino was born.
“Like most things, it happened by accident,” he says.
“When we bought The Ville there wasn’t one bar or any place where you could sit and have a drink and look over the water. It was crazy!
“Now it’s probably the biggest asset that we’ve got and I think it’s probably one of the best casinos in Australia. The team has done a great job and the locals love The Ville.”
His knack for seeing a business’ potential to grow and evolve has also seen him transform Nautilus Aviation from a one-aircraft operation to Australia’s biggest helicopter operators.
People power
He says that while passion plays a significant role, there’s another big factor that makes Morris Group’s businesses successful: its people.
“Generally speaking, I think the thing that makes great businesses is great people. It’s never just about one person. My whole approach to running businesses and making them successful is trying to get the best people. That doesn’t always happen overnight, and you might have to have a few goes but when you get it right, you know.
“Something that I get a lot of satisfaction out of is when I see people from across all the different businesses working together. Morris Group has a lot of different businesses in different areas – it’s everything from helicopters to pubs to boats and hotels – so it’s taken a bit of time to get there; but it’s at a point now where it really is coming together.
“People are realising that we’re all one company and coming up with ways of collaborating and finding better ways to do things that benefit everyone. In the end, it’s about the whole group and that’s the most satisfying thing for me.”
Mum’s the word
Looking back, Chris admits that his own success wasn’t always a certainty.
In fact, in his teenage years he struggled with his studies and was unsure what direction his life would take. It wasn’t until he found his true passion, that he saw things clearly.
“I was a bit too distracted with girls in those years I think,” he laughs.
“I was failing at most subjects at school, but I just passed maths. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do but something I really loved was computer programming.”
So, while his siblings went off and pursued university education his mother intervened. Driven by the simple goal of landing him some steady employment, she enrolled him in Australia’s first ever computer course in 1966.
“I really owe my mum for that one. None of my success would have happened without her,” he says.
The Morris Family
Back yourself
Having found his niche in the emerging world of technology, Chris flourished. Twelve years later he founded his stock transfer company Computershare and the rest is history.
Today the company has offices in 20 countries across five continents and employs over 18,000 people.
“I was passionate about programming, so I actually loved going to work,” he says.
“I think that’s the key to life. If you don’t really want to go to work, you’re probably not going to be good at it. You’ve got to have a bit of passion.
“The other thing I’ve always believed is that if you don’t believe in yourself, nobody ever will. I always believed I was the best computer programmer in the world, and you have to.
“But you have to work hard too. My first business venture was growing tomatoes when I was starting my work as a computer programmer.
“I used to come home from work and pack tomatoes and then get up in the morning and go to Queen Victoria Market and sell them. I tell everyone that I made all my money in tomatoes.”
