Staff numbers tending the Salamander Bay course and in the clubhouse have been cut by about a dozen by the administrator Ken Whittingham.

In a letter to members Mr Whittingham said the job losses were in response to the failure by the resort's Korean owners to advance $100,000 a month to keep operating while a sale could be negotiated.

"Members should note my decision to rationalise operations in the short term did not come lightly," Mr Whittingham wrote.

"However as a result of the continued broken promises by the holding company (in Korea) I have been left with no other option."

He said a "core group" had been kept to maintain the course and the operation of the cafe had been curtailed. He said he hoped to find a buyer for the resort in four to six weeks and confirmed there had already been strong interest in a purchase.

The resort was placed in the hands of voluntary administrators in late June with accumulated debts of $17million. Soon after it was revealed the resort was losing between $30,000 and $40,000 a week and had not traded profitable for at least the last six years.