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Investors being offered villas or land at Harbourside City in Lombok, Indonesia, are urged to carry out thorough independent due diligence before committing any money. Harbourside City is the latest of three project names promoted to overseas buyers. The other two are Nesara Bay City and Gesara Bay City. On examination, all three are the same offering under different branding.
No Land Held for Harbourside City
The most serious concern is simple. There are no land holdings for Harbourside City, and no land acquisitions for the project have been completed. Investors are being asked to commit funds to a development on land the project does not own.
In Indonesia, a buyer’s security depends entirely on the land title and building approvals held by the developing entity. Without certified title (SHM or HGB) held in the developer’s name, a purchase contract offers little practical protection. Neither can a villa proceed without an approved PBG building permit.
Who Is Promoting the Project
The project is promoted by Australian businessman Jamie Neville McIntyre through LUX Property Group.
Also promoted by / associated with: Warren Stokes, Sean Strecker, Dave Oneegs, Tejal Dave and Henry Kaye.
McIntyre’s business history is on the public record. In 2016, the Federal Court of Australia banned Jamie McIntyre from managing companies for 10 years.
Promotional releases published in 2025 linked McIntyre to plans for a NESARA EcoMiniCity in Lombok, Harbourside City in the Blongas area, and a futuristic urban concept called FuturisCity.
A Pattern Investors Should Recognise
Nesara Bay City, Gesara Bay City and Harbourside City follow the same marketing formula. Each promises an ambitious “mini-city” on the Lombok coast, with luxury villas, wellness facilities and strong projected returns, and each is marketed to Western buyers through online investor presentations and Zoom sessions.
When one name attracts scrutiny and another appears offering the same product, investors should treat that as a warning sign rather than a fresh opportunity. A change of name does not change the land position, the permits or the people behind the project.
Existing Buyers Still Waiting
Buyers who paid for villas in earlier Lombok projects promoted by McIntyre report that they have not received the villas they paid for. Media reports state that Bali police are investigating after dozens of Australian investors reported combined losses in the millions of dollars. Further police reports have been lodged with the West Nusa Tenggara Police.
Local authorities have also acted. The West Lombok Regency issued a construction-halt and demolition order at a related coastal site. The primary reason was construction within the coastal setback, in breach of Indonesian coastal regulations.
Five Questions to Ask Before Investing in Harbourside City
Anyone approached about Harbourside City, Nesara Bay City or Gesara Bay City should demand written, verifiable answers to the following:
- Land title: Which legal entity holds certified title to the land, and can you see the certificate?
- Completed acquisition: Has the land purchase actually settled, or is it still an option, deposit or promise?
- Building approval: Is there a current PBG permit for the specific villa being sold?
- Coastal setback: Does the planned construction sit outside the legal coastal setback?
- Payment destination: Which company owns the bank account you are paying into, and who controls it?
If any of these cannot be answered with documents, do not transfer funds.
Warning: Requests for Payment in Cryptocurrency
If you are asked to pay a deposit, reservation fee or instalment for Harbourside City, Nesara Bay City or Gesara Bay City in cryptocurrency, do not proceed. Legitimate Indonesian property developers take payment by bank transfer to an account in the name of the contracting company. Cryptocurrency is not recognised as a legal means of payment in Indonesia.
Be particularly wary if you are asked to pay in any of the following:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Tether (USDT)
- USD Coin (USDC)
- XRP
- BNB
- Solana (SOL)
- TRON (TRX)
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
- Cardano (ADA)
Stablecoins such as USDT and USDC are often presented as “the same as US dollars.” They are not the same as a bank transfer. They carry none of the protections of a regulated bank payment.
If any of these is what you have been asked to pay with, do not part with your funds. Cryptocurrency payments are extremely difficult to trace and even harder to recover. Once sent, there is usually no bank, regulator or court that can reverse the transaction. A request to pay in crypto, or to send funds to a personal or offshore wallet, should be treated as a serious red flag in its own right.
What to Do If You Have Already Paid
If you have already paid:
- Keep copies of all contracts, receipts and correspondence.
- Obtain independent legal advice in Indonesia.
- Report any concerns to the Indonesian Police.
- If you are an Australian resident, also report to the Australian Federal Police and to ReportCyber.
Where a refund or “land protection” offer is made, ask for it in writing, specifying the entity making the commitment and the date it will be honoured.
The Bottom Line
Harbourside City has no completed land acquisitions behind it. It is promoted by the same people as Nesara Bay City and Gesara Bay City, and earlier buyers are still waiting on their villas. Until verifiable title, permits and a clear payment trail can be produced, investors should treat Harbourside City as extremely high risk.
