Castaway Island, Fiji has marked 60 years since it opened on 6 July 1966, with a week of 1960s-themed anniversary events set for later this year.
Castaway Island, Fiji, one of the longest continually operating island resorts in the country and a familiar name for the many Australians who holiday in the Mamanucas, has hit its 60th anniversary, a milestone few South Pacific properties reach.
The resort sits on Qalito Island, with thatched-roof bures, white sand beaches and turquoise water a short boat or seaplane transfer from Nadi.
The main anniversary event runs from 22 to 28 November 2026, themed around 1960s vintage in a nod to the era the resort was born.
What’s on?
The birthday programme includes a traditional Fijian welcome ceremony, a returnee guest appreciation day, a management cocktail evening and an environment day centred on coral planting and the resort’s coral gene bank.
A cocktail gala on 27 November is the centrepiece, expected to welcome government dignitaries, returning guests and community partners.
Alongside the events, the resort has launched a guest and host storytelling campaign, inviting past guests to share photos, videos and memories and spotlighting longtime hosts, some of whom have worked on the island for more than 30 years.
60 years of barefoot stays
Castaway Island opened on 6 July 1966 with just four bures for fishermen to stay overnight, carved from the island’s foliage as Fiji’s tourism industry was still finding its feet.
In 1992, the resort was transformed under new owner Geoffrey Shaw, a figure in Fiji’s tourism industry, whose stewardship established it as a byword for authentic, barefoot island hospitality and drew multigenerational families back year after year.
“The loyalty of our guests and the dedication of our hosts are a testament to what happens when a destination is built on authenticity. It’s the reason why our returnees and multigenerational families continue to call Castaway Island home,” Castaway Island, Fiji general manager Steven Andrews says.
“We’re proud to steward this legacy and are excited for everything the next decade holds as we invite more travellers to discover our island home for the first time.”
Conservation crucial
Now operating under Outrigger Resorts & Hotels and its Outrigger Zone programme, the resort has built its reef stewardship into the guest offering, a point of difference for eco-minded clients.
In 2025, the resort launched a sculptural coral gene bank with non-profit counting coral, a marine-grade steel installation housing more than 500 parent corals to support long-term reef regeneration. It also took part in the translocation of 15 endangered Fijian crested iguanas to Qalito Island, their first presence there in more than 40 years, and became the second property in Fiji to earn Green Key Certification.
KARRYON UNPACKS: Fiji remains one of the top destinations for Australian outbound travellers, and an island resort with 60 years of returnees is an easy sell to families chasing tradition over novelty. The anniversary week gives sellers a dated hook and a conservation story for eco-minded clients booking well ahead.
