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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Mago is a Fijian island that was reported in 2004 to have been bought by actor-producer Mel Gibson for US$15 million. That figure is not established by a purchase document: another account describes $15 million as the island’s asking price. A Fijian conservation organization later called Mago Gibson’s property, but the available reports do not verify who owns it today or whether visitors can go there.
Where is Mago Island?
Mago is an island in Fiji, in the South Pacific. Tourism Fiji’s geography guide describes Fiji’s broader island setting; it does not establish specific visitor access or tourism facilities on Mago.
The Fiji Times’ retrospective recounts that native owners were moved from the island after conversion to Christianity in the nineteenth century, followed by a succession of later owners. That is the newspaper’s historical account, not an independently verified land-history record. The same retrospective gives Mago’s area as 5,411 acres, while a 2013 Knight Frank publication describes it as 5,400 acres. The latter appears to be a rounded figure; neither source is a contemporary survey.
Did Mel Gibson buy Mago Island?
Contemporary and later reporting supports describing Gibson’s ownership as a historical report, not a confirmed present-day fact. On December 10, 2004, ABC News, relaying an AFP report, said Gibson had bought Mago and attributed the US$15 million purchase claim to People magazine. In a 2007 notice, Fijian conservation organization NatureFiji-MareqetiViti described Mago as Gibson’s property. Knight Frank also called the island Gibson-owned in a 2013 publication. None of these sources establishes current ownership or supplies a purchase contract or official land record.
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Was Mago Island bought for $15 million?
The often-repeated $15 million amount has two different formulations in the available accounts. The Fiji Times retrospective says the 5,411-acre island was on sale for $15 million in 2004. The ABC News/AFP report from that year says Gibson bought it for US$15 million, citing People magazine. These are secondary reports, not independent documentary confirmation of the completed sale or its price.
| Account | Date | What it says about the amount | Attribution or qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Fiji Times retrospective | Retrospective account of the 2004 listing | $15 million asking price | Describes Mago as “on sale” for that amount; not proof of a completed transaction. |
| ABC News / AFP | December 10, 2004 | US$15 million reported purchase price | Attributes the purchase claim to People magazine; not a sale document. |
What is known about Mago’s wildlife and conservation?
NatureFiji-MareqetiViti said it conducted a Conservation Values study on Mago in May 2007. The organization described remaining forest stands, most over difficult limestone karst, and identified three globally threatened species found on the island: the Sheath-tailed Bat, the Samoan Flying Fox, and the Friendly Ground-Dove.
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The organization said the study made recommendations intended to improve wildlife conservation and island management, and that island management was considering them at the time. That dated statement does not show whether the recommendations were adopted or describe present-day conservation conditions. NatureFiji-MareqetiViti said the report was available from its secretariat.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can you visit Mago Island?
The available sources do not establish that Mago is open to visitors, offer lodging, or provide a way to book a visit. Fiji’s general destination information should not be read as evidence of access to this particular island.
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Sources
- NatureFiji-MareqetiViti: “Mago Island – a new Corporate Gold Sponsor” (published 2007; page indicates later update).
- The Fiji Times: “Back in history | Mel Gibson in Lau” (retrospective).
- ABC News / AFP: “Mel Gibson buys personal Pacific island: report” (December 10, 2004).
- Knight Frank: “International View 2013: Nananu-i-Cake Island, Fiji” (Mago reference).
- Tourism Fiji: “Discover Fiji’s Diverse Geography”.
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