'XXXX Island' to be ultimate blokes' paradise

Melbourne, Mar 15 (ANI): An Australian beer company has secured a three-year lease on a 6 hectare Southern Great Barrier Reef island off the Capricorn Coast to create a men-only paradise dubbed "XXXX Island".

From October, XXXX Gold is looking forward to send groups of four mates, won in promotions, to the island now known as Pumpkin Island.

Organisers will seek out ideas from the public about what should be added to the island, such as a "one hole golf course" and an "ingenious beer delivery system".

The Pumpkin Island website describes it as an "untouched tropical holiday getaway", with five "self-contained, eco-friendly beach cottages".

Both XXXX and the island's owners have refused to discuss the value of the lease, citing a confidentiality agreement.

The island belongs to John and Sonja Rumble, a South African-born couple who bought the island in 2003 for 1.3 million dollars through their business, Sojourn Properties Pty Ltd.

They then gifted the Pumpkin Island to their son, Wayne, for his 27th birthday, according to Capricorn enterprise CEO Mary Carroll, which he now runs with his partner, Laureth Craggy.

"His dad actually said 'make it work', so this campaign is certainly a way for him (to) make it work," the Daily Telegraph quoted Carroll as saying.

"The improvements they made were absolutely beautiful."

Wayne Rumble, 31, asserted that he was convinced that XXXX would support the local community by involving the region's businesses in the island's development.

"It was fundamental that we protected the island's integrity and what we have built and established on the island over the last few years and for the future," Rumble said.

"We believe this is a great opportunity for the island that will not only bring more people to the area, but will provide additional jobs and support the local community over the coming months and beyond."

A XXXX Gold spokeswoman said that XXXX Island was a way to encourage "mates time", with a number of celebrities enlisted to promote the campaign. (ANI)