The decision by Juniper Development Group to sell the Port Douglas Sea Temple Golf and Country Club and surrounding housing development comes as the group attempts to redirect its interests towards a Gold Coast project.

The 18-hole, par-71 Thomson, Wolveridge and Perrett-designed golf course and 51 surrounding housing lots have been placed on the market so the company can concentrate on the a $850 million, 77-level Soul tower located in the heart of Surfer’s Paradise, which is now in direct competition with the $700 million Hilton Surfer’s Paradise which opened last week.

However, the Juniper Group has confirmed the Sea Temple Resort and Spa - which was built at the southern end of Four Mile Beach in the early 2000s at a time when the Juniper name was unpopular with conservationists and locals concerned about the development’s environmental impact - was not for sale.

While the company launched an advertising campaign last Thursday to sell off the remaining nine apartments within the resort with up to 50% off the retail price, it is understood that six of those properties were snapped up within five days of the campaign launch, but were also not part of the golf club deal.

Joint managing director, Shaun Juniper, said the Juniper Group has been credited with changing the face of North Queensland with the design and construction of a series of premium residential, resort and retail projects, such as Sea Temple resorts and spas in Port Douglas and Palm Cove, and Coconut Grove and Saltwater Apartments in Port Douglas.

“We have always enjoyed a  fabulous relationship with North Queensland and are very proud of the projects we have put in place, however as developers we need to be prepared for the next opportunity,’’ Mr Juniper said.

“With the commencement of settlement of Soul, that is our primary focus at present.”

Juniper says the accompanying Sea Temple Golf Homes estate also has development approval for a further 10 housing lots.

In the past 12 to 18 months, numerous display homes had been constructed in the estate by local builders G.J. Gardner Homes, Cougar Homes and Austart Homes, with a starting price of $745,000 for house and land packages.

While some of those homes remain as absolute golf course frontage display homes, the housing estate itself has been slow to sell, with Sea Temple Golf Home lots still listed for sale on the Juniper website from $375,000.

Established in 1992, the Juniper Group claims to have compiled a $1 billion plus portfolio, with projects stretching the length of the Queensland seaboard.