The Gold Coast Marine Precinct is getting a $200 million funding injection from two big expansion projects declared just a day of one another. The two improvements, proposed by two important Gold Coast entrepreneurial businesses, are likely to make a significant marine industry hub that’s arguably the biggest in the southern hemisphere.
The growth will raise the facility’s present marine re-fit capability by 400%, helping the Gold Coast profit market share in Australia’s profitable super yacht servicing marketplace.
Another suggestion by Tony Longhurst is transforming the centre into a state-of-the-art marina, which will supply upmarket retail and dining facilities to rival nearby Sanctuary Cove.
Longhurst, whose brother Rodney owns and operates luxury boat builder Riviera and whose dad John developed Dreamworld, is proposing to construct Australia’s first dry marina with storage up to 200 boats up to 100 feet.
This is complemented with a fresh 50 berth marina and waterfront village with restaurants and boutiques. Work has already begun on the first phase of the project that will add yet another 10ha into The Boat Works’ footprint. Longhurst obtained an adjoining site formerly used as a cane plantation. The enlarged marine precinct will create an additional 2000 jobs from the Gold Coast’s flourishing northern suburbs. A projected dredging program declared by the Gold Coast Waterways Authority is scheduled for next season.
This expansion had come at a time when the Gold Coast marine business was taking on water because of the GFC.
But the market has turned around dramatically since that time, and the Gold Coast is the area’s top destination for both marine refits and repairs.
GCCM currently accommodates over 80 marine companies on site, using over 700 proficient marine builders servicing vessels which range from dinghies to superyachts.”Submissions with this website have been lodged to the police and the local council, and after approvals are in place, an infrastructure for the very first phase will commence,” Gay says.
After the project is finished, GCCM is going to have the ability to adapt further the growing size of our national fleet and people coming into the South Pacific area including superyachts, wide-beam catamarans and sailing yachts because of groundbreaking new amenities such as a 1000 tonne capacity elevator and undercover refit and repair factories.
With foreign flagged vessels able to clear immigration and customs at the Gold Coast, we see bigger ships using our centres.”Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate was onsite in The Boat Works this afternoon to the launching of preliminary steps. “The marine industry is enjoying substantial expansion, and this advancement will take us into another level nationally and globally,” Tate says.
“We’ll eventually become the number one port of call across the whole east coast, and I commend The Boat Works for opening our marine logistics and service centres to a worldwide industry.”
Additionally, it is the fundamental production base for its Telwatergroup which generates the Quintrex, Stacer and Salvage recreational vessel array. The expansion has prompted Westfield to eventually bring on the growth of the $450 million Coomera Town Centre, which is set to start next week.