Everything you need to know about Lapita Plantation, Aore Island & Vanuatu

About Us: Lapita Plantation, formerly known as Peyrolle Plantation, was acquired by the Woon family in the late 1980's. Having exhausted his desire to sail the seven seas, Brian Woon, the family patriarch, spent his latter years between his business in Sydney and his island home in Vanuatu. Brian successfully returned the previously neglected coconut plantation into a productive copra and cattle property, and undoubtedly one of the most beautifully maintained plantations in the South Pacific.

The turnaround for Peyrolle was primarily achieved by strategic farm planning, the introduction of new strains of coconut tress and the cross breeding of cattle. The paddocks were cleared of less desirable plant species that had managed to proliferate due to years of neglect, and the majority of native trees such as Natora, Banyan and Whitewood were retained to provide shade and shelter. It was during this period that the entire plantation was converted to solar power to take advantage of the long hours of tropical sunshine.

With the passing of Brian in 1999, his grandson, Matthew Woon took over management and maintenance of the plantation. Having worked alongside his grandfather on the plantation for many years, Matthew fully understood and was sensitive to island life. The islanders were his friends and here he was at home.

While the plantation has provided a stable income operating as a fully self sustaining agricultural property, Matthew quickly recognised the unique opportunity offered by the synergy that existed between this idyllic island property with straight lines of stately coconut palms, fringing coral reefs and over six kilometers of white sandy beaches, and the lack of tourism infrastructure associated with the development of the new international airport only twenty minutes away. Renaming the property Lapita Plantation, in honour of the great seafaring Lapita people, and having already taken steps to protect the native forests, coastal wetlands and mangrove communities, Matthew's vision of an ecologically sustainable tourism development is well underway.

Aore Today - General Information
The Y shaped archipelago of Vanuatu, consisting of 83 islands and covering a total area of 860,000 square kilometers, is located in the heart of the South Pacific. South-east of the Solomons, a stones throw from New Caledonia, north of New Zealand, west of Fiji and 1750 km east of Australia. Today Vanuatu has a unique blend of custom (tribal) communities, resorts, beaches, fine dining and geography ranging from large mountain chains shrouded in mist, to accessible volcanoes and pristine underwater environments.

Sitting on the same latitude as Port Douglas in Queensland is Vanuatu's Aore Island. Aore Island, located in the northern Sanma Provience, is roughly 11 kilometers in length and 9 kilometers at its widest point and is sheltered by Espiritu Santo, Malo and Tatuba Islands. The Bruat and Segond Channels narrowly separate Aore from these larger islands. Lapita Plantation takes up the western portion of Aore and views the confluence of these two magnificent waterways.

Moving inland from the coastal fringe of Lapita the landform rises marginally to open grazing paddocks and natural forest areas. Here the landscape is best described as gently undulating with scattered trees and areas of dense native forest. Stands of coconut palms dominate the north-western side of the plantation fronting on to the Segond Channel. The flat central area has been cleared to encourage pasture growth for livestock, and the south-eastern portion is dominated by native coastal forest.

Luganville
The port of Luganville, servicing the northern provinces of Vanuatu is located on Espiritu Santo (Santo), on the Segond Channel immediately adjacent to north-eastern part of Aore. With a population at 11,000 Luganville is Vanuatu's second largest urban center after Port Vila. During WWII 100,000 American servicemen were based in Luganville, a stepping stone from the horrific battles that took place in the Solomon Islands to the north. Today, decaying Quonset huts and paved landing strips that occasionally emerge from the dense vegetation stand testament to the past history. A number of maritime wrecks, such as the President Coolidge sit quietly submerged in the clear warm waters of the Segond Channel.

How to get there
The recent opening of the new Pekoa International Airport on Espiritu Santo, only 20 minutes from Aore, means from Lapita Plantation is readily accessible by air. A number of international airlines service Pekoa International, with Air Vanuatu and Qantas having direct flights from Brisbane and Sydney, 3 and 3.5 hours respectively. Regular flights from New Zealand, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Australia and New Caledonia fly into from Port Vila with scheduled connecting services to Santo 3 times a day.

Connecting to Lapita Plantation from Pekoa International Airport is easy. A regular taxi service from the airport takes only 10 minutes to 'Lapita Landing' in Luganville for a quick boat trip across the Segond Channel to the Lapita Plantation Resort and private villas.

For site inspections of Lapita Plantation, during the Sales Phase of the development, we recommend you stay at Aore Island Resort on the northern tip of the island, which is a short drive or coastal boat ride from Lapita.

Recreational Activities
Lapita Plantation may be one of the world's most peaceful island retreats but don't think for a moment you'll be short of things to do. There are a myriad ways to enjoy this tropical paradise and all of them are enchanting.

Why not start the day with an early-morning swim? Grab your snorkeling gear and walk the few steps down to the sparkling white sand and immerse yourself in warm tropical water. The coral looks especially beautiful in the early morning light and the inquisitive reef fish flit around in brilliant flashes of colour. Say hello to Lapita's resident family of clown fish - much-loved 'pets' who clamour for attention.

After breakfast you may like to walk down to the Lapita jetty where one of our staff will arrange for a day of deep sea fishing. A short boat ride will take you out of the Lapita marine protection zone to an area where you can catch a tasty morsel for lunch. You'll have to reel in your lines though if the spinner dolphins come by for a visit. Leaping and spinning through the air, they travel in spectacular pods of up to 100 individuals.

From July to October, you'll see the humpback whales that visit Vanuatu waters for the calving season. Then there's the giant sea turtles, manta rays and dugong - a spectacular array of marine life in one of the world's last pristine locations.

For anyone who likes to walk, Lapita is a paradise. Set on 328 hectares of land and fringed by 6 kilometres of white, sandy beaches, it offers a variety of walks through native rainforest, copra plantation and wetland sanctuary. Lapita is also a working farm with 500 head of Brahman-Charolais cattle - it's a bustling community with lots of activity and friendly locals always ready for a chat.

If you're looking for a change of scenery, then a short ride on the Lapita ferry will take you across the Segond Channel to Espiritu Santo. During World War II, more than 100,000 US troops were stationed on Santo and there are still remnants of military huts and airfields to be explored. Espiritu Santo is one of the world's top scuba diving destinations. It's the final resting place of the troop ship SS President Coolidge and USS destroyer Tucker. Fresh water cave diving is also becoming popular with the recent discovery of connecting caverns. Stop for lunch at Santo's capital Luganville, a quaint country town with shops, restaurants and government offices. Then there's the world-famous Blue Hole, a 50m by 18m deep swimming hole which reflects the most magnificent azure hues. You can raft through mountain gorges on a breathtaking Millennium Cave expedition - or perhaps a cultural tour taking in local villages would be more your style.

Blissfully restful or action-packed … at Lapita, the pace of life is yours to decide.

The Development
A slice of the tropical paradise which inspired James A Michener's iconic Tales of the South Pacific is up for grabs with Vanuatu's ground-breaking luxury development, Lapita Plantation.

The vision of plantation owners Matthew Woon and his mother Sheryn von Schwerin, Lapita is an ecologically-sustainable lifestyle development with a French colonial theme. Set on 328 hectares of land and fringed by 6 kilometres of coastline, the 5 stage luxury lifestyle resort development called Lapita Plantation will feature 205 plantation villas, two luxury resort complexes, a large outdoor pool, restaurants, cocktail bar, Balinese-style day spa, golf practice range, specialty shops, and facilities for scuba diving, horse riding, kayaking and sailing.

In order to promote ecologically sustainable development of the site, land and villa allotments will be offered strictly as limited "staged" or "precinct" releases over the next 5 to 7 years. Each precinct will be identified by landscaping designed to create individuality and ensure harmony with the local environment and architectural features, and positioned to take full advantage of their natural surrounds and magnificent water views. Crushed coral pathways for pedestrians, private buggies and bicycles means that no villa is more than 10 minutes from one of the resort centers.

Of the 205 villa allotments available, 106 have absolute water frontage, 44 fronting directly on to the Segond Channel and 52 fronting on to the Bruat Channel. The remaining 99 plantation villa lots are strategically positioned to ensure full water views and a tranquil agricultural ambiance.

Villa and land package sites will be offered in lots of 20: 10 waterfront and 10 waterview. There are also 'land only' sales, that offer investors the opportunity to land bank, or to purchase now and build at a later date stage.* Land prices start from as little as AUD $140,001.

Purchasers also have the option in stage one of choosing an architecturally designed 1, 2, 3 or 4 bedroom French plantation-style villa with saltwater plunge pools, Bosch appliances, Spanish stone bench tops and imported floor tiles. The high vaulted ceilings and wide, shaded wrap-around verandas define the interior space while inviting spectacular water and distant mountain views into the heart of each residence.

High-speed internet, voice over IP and satellite television will also be available in each villa, enabling professional people to take a much-needed break in one of the world's most idyllic tropical locations while still keeping a hand on the pulse of their business. At Lapita, you get the best of both worlds - a tropical retreat just a mouse click away from the real-time outside world.

Ranging from AUD $257,248 for a one-bedroom sea-view villa, to $978,834 for a four-bedroom beachside villa, the development offers a luxury holiday lifestyle at a surprisingly affordable price. Tastefully selected interior furnishing packages will be available to add the finishing touch to these superb luxury villas offering the ultimate in resort style living in superb tropical surrounds.

The proposed resort facilities are scheduled for construction in Stage 2 of the development and will feature a clubhouse with a Raffles-inspired sunset lounge for evening cocktails overlooking the sea. Lapita Plantation residents will be able to choose whether they would like to lease back their property to the resort for holiday makers or keep it solely for your own use. *Conditions apply

Stage 1: Land Only Packages
In conjunction with the Stage I development, Aore Island Limited is releasing a limited number of vacant waterfront and water view lots. Purchasers may choose to land bank the vacant villa sites as an investment opportunity or to select and build one of our architecturally designed 1, 2, 3 or 4 bedroom plantation style villas. It is envisaged that the low cost of this limited introductory land release may be conducive for individual investors desiring to purchase two or more consecutive allotments for the purpose of increasing the area of the individual block size. All sites are subject to Lapita's standard building and ESD covenants.

Lapita's Trade Store
Also included in Stage 1 of the development is Lapita's own trade store, stocking essential grocery items and containing a business and an administration center, as well as a relaxing waterview refreshment bar. The trade store is due for completion by April 2008.

Villas for Sale
One and Two Bedroom Villas
With each Lapita villa, the meeting of architecture and nature is soft and gentle. The spacious open plan design incorporating private outside showers and water features exudes an ambience of luxury and comfort. High vaulted ceilings and plantation shutters open onto wide, shaded verandas defining the interior space while inviting spectacular water views into the heart of each residence. Attention to detail has been quintessential to all facets of design.

Three Bedroom Villas
The architecturally designed villas are in the style of contemporary French plantation residence. Built on the principles of environmental sustainability, Lapita features water views from wide shaded verandas allowing residents to enjoy the breathtaking scenery and cool tropical trade winds. High vaulted ceilings and gently rotating overhead fans ensure indoor climate control. All timbers used in the villas have been hand picked and crafted to ensure the highest quality and environmental sustainability.

Four Bedroom Villas
Similar to the two smaller villas, the 4 bedroom villa offers unsurpassed luxury. Wide cool verandas coupled with ample open lounge areas reminiscent of Raffles in its heyday! The contemporary French design allows for state of the art living unlike anything offered previously in the South Pacific. Enjoy high speed Interne, voice over ip and satellite television in the convenience of your own villa. Water features, outdoor showers and plunge pool sitting amidst swaying coconut palms and lush tropical gardens offer an understated elegance.

Absentee Owners
Purchasers choosing not to lease their villas through the resort letting pool may arrange with the resort management to undertake weekly or monthly internal / external surveillance and or maintenance. All villa gardens and common space throughout Lapita Plantation, whether leased through the letting pool or not, will be maintained by resort management landscape staff to ensure all plantation property is maintained in a manicured state. There will be a nominal charge for this service incorporated into the Body Corporate levee. Body Corporate levee information TBA.

Stage 2: Boutique Resort Site
Lot 8 is designated as a "Luxury Boutique Resort" site which has been strategically planned to ensure the provision of resort amenities for villa residents and guests during the preliminary stages of the site development. Located on the north-west coast of the plantation, over looking the Segond Channel, the lot has 129 meters of absolute beach and water frontage and covers approximately 3 hectares of gently sloping coastal land.

During Stage2, eleven spacious, architecturally designed one bedroom plantation style villas, designed primarily for investment letting will be offered for sale 'off the plan'. Purchasers wishing to rent these villas either exclusively or on a part time basis may do so through our professional resort management who will ensure your investment is well protected and gains a maximum return possible by being exclusively marketed under the Lapita Plantation Resort branding.

Value Added Tax (VAT) of 12.5% is not applicable on the boutique villas purchased as letting properties for tourism infrastructure. Owners may choose to occupy these villas for up to one month in each twelve month period, or, assign the villa to the letting pool on a full time basis. The choice is yours!

The picturesque Raffles style club house will become a meeting place for resort guests and villa residents alike. The club house will incorporate a number a specialty shops, restaurant, coffee shop, and a comfortable lounge bar. All garden areas and land immediately outside the external walls of each boutique villa, within the confines of Lot 8 including the club house and swimming pool, is deemed to be resort property.

Turtle Island Resort Site
Lapita Plantation has designated the 13 hectares of Lot 107, overlooking the Bruat Channel with Turtle Island in the foreground and Malo in the background, as the major resort site for the Plantation and makes provision for the site to become a fully integrated resort town center meeting the requirements of all Lapita Plantation residents and guests.

Water Safety
It is the responsibility of each villa owner and resort operator to ensure the safety of children in the vicinity of swimming pool and beach areas. Readily available swimming pool safety fencing is an optional extra that is recommended by the Aore Island Ltd.

Transport
Due to the location of Lapita Plantation, residents and guests will be within walking distance of all key facilities and amenities. The open space pedestrian and bicycle networks will reinforce and complement the pedestrian, bicycle and boat options offered at Lapita. Wide crushed coral easements and grassed access ways will allow lifestyle convenience and mobility throughout the Lapita Plantation as a precinct and for ferry links to the Lapita Landing, the plantation's own wharf facility, on Santo.

Wastewater Treatment
As one of Plantation's key objectives is to embrace ecologically sustainable initiatives throughout the developement, Lapita has selected the Biolytix Sewage Treatment Plant to manage wastewater. Wastewater and food waste is treated in Biolytix Filters using Biolytix Filtration, a passive aerobic process. The technology is based on layered, flexible modular filter elements that are designed to be installed into a vertical cylindrical tank. The filter is a robust organic soil ecosystem which is not only fed by the organic wastes that are filtered out of the wastewater but is actually structured from the fine humus produced, cleverly turning the problem into the solution. Just as humus is the key to soil fertility, it is also the key to the Biolytix Filters cleansing powers. Billions of microscopic organisms inhabit every gram so that its drainage and air porosity are continually renewed and maintained indefinitely. It is normally a single pass filter where wastewater enters at the top of the bed and clear organically filtered water is pumped out from the bottom.

Maintenance requirements for the BF6 system are basic and normally limited to an annual maintenance inspection of the pump and top layer of the filter bed and check on pump and air blower. The Biolytix System efficiently breaks down compost in the tank, which means that there is very little compost build-up. Any excess can be managed by the service technician during their annual service.

Water supply
With an annual average rainfall of around 3000 to 3500 mm, water is plentiful and as such Lapita Plantation's water supply will rely upon supply by precipitation and subsequent storage.

Climate
Aore Island has a beautiful tropical climate. In summer, from November to April, it can be hot and humid but the mild coastal sea breezes generally keep temperatures at a comfortable level. The cooler season is between May and October where temperatures are lower but days are still warm and sunny. The temperature of the sea is always a very pleasant 24 degrees Celsius. But no matter what the weather, Lapita Plantation is always the perfect island getaway.

The Natural Environment
Sea grass beds and fringing coral reefs off Lapita Plantation invites marine species of every description: a dazzling array of colourful fish swim languidly by in the aquamarine shallows. Currong, Blue Fin, Travelly and Dog-Tooth Tuna cruise the edge of the coral reefs searching for shoals of Sardines and White Bait. Sea Turtles and Dugong lift their heads above the water while drifting up and down the passage with the changing tide. The time of day is generally important for viewing the activities of certain marine species off Lapita Plantation; migrating Whales can usually be seen at dawn and giant Manta Ray tend to fully breach the water around sunset. However, the large pod of playful Spinner Dolphins that live off nearby Araki Island seem happy to greet visitors at any time of day.

The People and Culture
Vanuatu is considered to be one of the world's most culturally diverse countries and has a unique blend of intact tribal communities. With a population of approximately 220,000, Vanuatu boasts 113 distinct languages and innumerable dialects. It appears from the numerous archaeological discoveries that have been made on Aore and other sites throughout Vanuatu, that the first Melanesian navigators probably canoed down from Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. These early seafarers may have periodically settled on Aore before heading further south. Pieces of pottery made by the 'Lapita' people have been discovered that date back over 4,000 years.

Today, Melanesian culture is still alive and well in Vanuatu. Traditions or 'custom' have virtually remained unchanged for hundreds of years. The traditional beliefs and practices are extremely important to the 'Ni-Vanuatu' (the name given to the local people) and involve all aspects of everyday life including marriage, death, law and land ownership.

Language and Education
Ni-Vanuatu are warm, friendly people living harmoniously with numerous other nationalities including French, British, Australian, New Zealand, Chinese and other Pacific Islanders. Ni-Vanuatu speak over 100 indigenous languages. English, French and Bislama are the official languages of Vanuatu and are spoken by the majority of the local people. Bislama is a mix of French and pigeon English, so it's relatively easy to understand.

Business is conducted mainly in English, although there are many French companies who conduct their business in both French and English.

The principal languages of education are English and French, and with the current revised education policies, vernacular is being introduced in some schools in rural areas. The current dual education system has is own problems and difficulties, but it gives a country a strong competitive advantage over other Pacific Island States, since people can speak and understand both English and French. In response to business needs within communities in Vanuatu, Chinese and Japanese are also becoming more popular.

The University of the South Pacific has a campus in Port Vila with currently 930 students enrolled from around the South Pacific. However, significant numbers of young people graduating from high schools in Vanuatu enroll in universities in Australia and New Zealand.

Land Ownership and Leasehold
No traditional villages are to be found on Aore today, as historical inter-island disputes between the neighbouring islands resulted in the demise of the island's original inhabitants. The traditional ownership of land on Aore, as throughout the rest of Vanuatu, is retained solely by the eldest male Ni-Vanuatu in each family as custom land.

People who are not Ni-Vanuatu, ie all people who are not of Melanesian descent from Vanuatu, are only permitted to hold tenure over specific properties by arrangement of legally documented lease agreements with the 'true' custom owner. These leases, requiring approval by the Department of Lands and VIPA, may run for a maximum of 75 years, so determined by the life span of a coconut palm. Currently, Lapita Plantation subdivision (under the Strata Titles Act) offers a lease period of 73 years, with an agreed option to renew as authorised by the custom owner.

Political and Administrative Setup*
The Republic of Vanuatu is an independent parliamentary democracy, with 52 members of parliament, for which general elections are held every 4 years. The head of state is the President of the Republic, who is elected for a period of five years by an electoral college consisting of Members of Parliament and the president of the provincial Councils.

The Prime Minister and the 12 co-members of the Council of Ministers oversee the administration of Vanuatu's 13 government ministries. The Constitution provides for executive and legislative arms of government, and the judiciary. The President is Vanuatu's Head of State. The judiciary consists of the Supreme Court with a Chief Justice and a Magistrates Court.

Vanuatu is a full member of the British Commonwealth, the French league of Nations, the United Nations, Agence de Co-operation Culturelle et Technique, the South Pacific Bureau for Economic Co-operation (SPEC), the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (which has its regional headquarters in Port Vila).
*Source: Government of Vanuatu website: www.vanuatu.gov.vu

Health and Safety
Vanuatu is predominantly a Christian country. However, other religions and beliefs are free tolerated through the country. The Ni-Vanuatu population, identified as the happiest country in the world in 2006 (Happy Country Index), is renowned to be the friendliest in the region with little if no resentment to expatriates based in the country. The streets in the towns are safe to walk at night and the island communities welcome guests with open arms and warm friendly smiles. The very nature of the Ni-Vanuatu is one of the countries greatest assets.

Basic medical services are available in most populated areas. In Port Vila and Luganville the central hospitals are staffed by qualified doctors. Surgeons and specialists are available in Vila. The city also has qualified dentists and general medical practitioners available 24 hours.

Medevac from the outer islands is conducted by local aircraft with Paramedic and Advanced Life Support equipment. Overseas Medevac for non-critical patients (seated and stretcher) is onboard Air Vanuatu's Boeing 737-300 to Brisbane, Sydney and Auckland. Seriously ill patients are evacuated by Queensland-based Air Ambulance with medical team.

Hyperbaric services are provided as a joint venture between ProMedical Vanuatu and Hyperbaric health Australia. Medical supervision is provided by the consultant Anesthetist from Vila Central Hospital who provides services as Diving Medial Officers on a voluntary basis.

Business Hours
Vanuatu is eleven hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+ 11.00).
Daylight savings does not apply in Vanuatu.

Office Hours: Monday to Friday 7.30am to 11.30am and 1.30pm to 4.30pm
Shopping: Monday to Friday 7.30am to 11.30am and 2.00pm to 5.00pm
Saturday 7.30am to 12.00 midday.

Investment Opportunities
The Lapita Plantation is destined to become one of the South Pacific's premier luxury ecotourism destinations due to its positioning in one of the world's most picturesque tropical destinations. Its close proximity to the new Pekoa International Airport, as well as its accessibility to some of the South Pacific's most pristine environments ensures its success.

In accordance with the Master Plan, villas will be built for resale, not only for the owners' private use, but also for those who seek to have an investment at Lapita and to rent their villas either exclusively or part-time to suit their own requirements. Resort guests and villa residents will enjoy the benefits of extensive and varied facilities expected of a luxury eco resort while also providing a genuine industry that will sustain solid investment in lettable property.

Vanuatu is a 'tax-friendly' environment, an obvious appeal to investors, which is enhanced by several unique features when compared to other finance centres.

There is no income or company tax for residents, and foreign investors can sell and buy property without incurring capital gains tax. There is also no death duties and no exchange controls. Money is easily transferred in all major currencies and there are no reporting requirements in relation to the movement of funds. Vanuatu's value-added tax, the equivalent of the Australian GST, is 12.5 per cent.

All land in Vanuatu is leasehold and has a 'custom owner' Lessor, with the maximum term of the lease being 75 years, including strata title leaseholds. A renewal of lease can be negotiated at anytime at terms suitable to for both lessee and lessor and is a straight forward process. Anyone can purchase leasehold property in Vanuatu if they have the funds and if you purchase land over a certain value, you are entitled to apply for a residency permit.

Borrowing money to purchase property in Vanuatu is relatively easy. Currently operating in Vanuatu is ANZ, Westpac and the National Bank of Vanuatu. The bank lending criteria is generally on the same basis as in Australia and New Zealand.

Vanuatu's finance centre has been in operation for over 30 yeas, much longer than many of its competitors. Its infrastructure of lawyers, accountants, trust companies and banks is well established and this enables it to offer investors a reliable and high quality service 'on the spot'. Real-time business transactions from your own island paradise!

Vanuatu has first class international communications facilities, with its own earth satellite station and 24 hour telephone, internet, and facsimile transmission facilities. It's cutting-edge technology for the South Pacific island archipelago.

Vanuatu has developed an excellent investment reputation as an all round investment location within the Pacific region*. In particular it has:
- Good infrastructure links around the country and the rest of the world
- Easy access to financial services
- Professional support from the Vanuatu Investment Promotion Authority, and other business companies in Port Vila
- Investor friendly tax structures and
- Company incorporations and subsequent annual fees are among the lowest in the Pacific.

The early growing pains of Nationhood are now over and Vanuatu continues to reflect the positive growth the country is going through. *Source: Vanuatu Investment Promotion Authority

For detailed information on Vanuatu's national investment policy, visit www.investinvanuatu.com

Download the Lapita Plantation Management Plan.
Download the Lapita Plantation Strata Information Document.