The Boat Works new northern yard is taking shape at a rate of knots, on track for completion by the end of 2019, ready to welcome the first superyachts to the new marina and purpose-built refit facility over summer.
The first of the 20 superyacht sheds have risen from the concrete slabs that stretch 900m from Waterway Drive to the waterfront, the new 77-berth marina is in use, already filled with new and brokerage boats, and the additional 20 superyacht berths for vessels up to 45m are nearing completion.
The new 300 Tonne lift will arrive in August, making this state-of-the-art superyacht facility the largest of its kind in the region and a significant employer generating major benefits for the local economy.
Over 1,000 contractors have been employed during phase 1 and 2 of construction, including consultants, specialist trades, labourers, machinery operators and materials suppliers.
The Boat Works new superyacht facility will reap enormous rewards for tenants, businesses in the Coomera Marine Precinct and broader south-east Queensland to northern NSW.
Visiting vessels, owners and crew will enjoy world-class lifestyle facilities – restaurants, bars, boutiques and even accommodation and event venue, in a tropical-landscaped environment – while their boats are given the 5-star treatment.
Superyachts are proven to inject significant revenue into the economy of the locations they visit, from owner and crew spend, yacht maintenance and repairs, to provisions and tourism.
With that in mind, the State Government’s Superyacht Strategy for Queensland forecasts that “by 2023, Queensland’s share of the global superyacht sector will have increased by 10 percent, and that Queensland will be recognised as the key superyacht hub in the Asia Pacific region. To achieve this, the state government will take conscious and decisive action to leverage the natural competitive advantages Queensland presents”.
The Boat Works’ new superyacht facility aims to become the refit and service yard of choice for Australia’s charter fleet and privately-owned superyachts as well as foreign-flagged yachts visiting our waters.
Given its exceptional amenities and warm hospitality The Boat Works is renowned for, it will be a preferred pitstop for migrating yachts cruising the east coast to the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef.
This is in addition to the thriving southern yard, which has been evolving since it was established in 1980, the vision of Bruce “Sharkie” Harris.
Not to be overshadowed, the existing yard is operating at full capacity, with a haul out rate of up to 50 vessels Out-of-Water per week, 60 tenants who report they are expanding and hiring to cater to increasing demand, and new facilities in Espresso Twenty5, a food and beverage venue that will attract locals and tantalise the taste buds of the 1,000 strong workforce on site, complementing the existing restaurant The Galley, the nautical themed cafe and dining venue.
Spanning up to a 1km of waterfront and a total of 52 acres, The Boat Works is located on the Coomera River, which is ensured continued depth and access thanks to the Gold Coast Waterways Authority dredging program, under the auspices of the State Government.
The Queensland Government is committed to maintaining a navigational channel depth of 3.0m below Lowest Astronomical Tide (-3.0mLAT) in the Coomera River.
GCWA CEO, Hal Morris stated “Dredging is vital for the continued prosperity and development of the local marine industry, which is growing in tandem with the number of boats in our region.
“Boating activity on the Gold Coast is increasing by approximately 11% per annum. There are currently over 28,000 recreation vessels registered on the Gold Coast and over 700 commercial vessels.
“The Gold Coast Marine Industry Precinct at Coomera currently occupies approximately 60ha and contains over 150 businesses, employing over 2,500 people. Dredging is required to provide safe navigational access to the marine precinct, residential developments, riverfront residents and recreational users.
“This security will allow business to expand into manufacture and servicing of larger vessels and allow larger vessels to access the Coomera Marine Precinct, resorts and harbours in the area,” he said.
Dredging has multiple benefits for the environment and broader community. It will increase the flow efficiency of the river and the efficient dispersion of stormwater runoff, add to flood mitigation, increase the health of the waterway through more efficient tidal flushing, increasing the proliferation of marine life.
Tim McKay is Project Manager at the GCWA and has several years’ experience overseeing dredging in the Broadwater, river entrances along the coast and its network of canals.
As he explained: “The sediment to be extracted from the upper section of the River (from Sanctuary Cove to the M1 bridge) is unsuitable for conventional disposal methods such as beach and foreshore nourishment or offshore deposition. So, a land-based management and handling facility was required to collect the extracted sediment and process it for beneficial reuse or disposal in a landfill facility.”
Capitalising on this commitment, The Boat Works’ owner, Tony Longhurst has invested more than $100 million in the new superyacht facility, with a genuine emphasis on a legacy of employment and prosperity for the Australian boating industry, marine trades and allied services, and the people of the Gold Coast.
