Rod Salmon’s new superyacht Oneworld on the Gold Coast for the first time

It’s described as “the ultimate travelling private resort” and it will soon be available for charter along Australia’s east coast. It won’t come cheap, but if you’re looking for upmarket holiday options, you can check it out on the Gold Coast this weekend.

Superyacht Oneworld, which has moved from Dubai to Australia. Owned by hotelier and race car driver Rod Salmon.

SUPER YACHT

Rod Salmon spent years doing research and travelling the globe, finding his way to boat shows in Dubai, Monaco and Florida.

It looks like all the hard work has paid off for the mega-wealthy Sydney developer, who also happens to be a mad keen race car driver, internet entrepreneur and former hotelier.

This week he brings his new superyacht Oneworld to the Gold Coast for the first time as he gets ready to launch it as a high-priced charter plying the waters along the eastern seaboard.

Built in Dubai at a cost of $10 million, the sleek 31.5 metre long white craft looks like something straight out of a James Bond movie.

While it can accommodate up to 120 guests for events, making it Australia’s biggest capacity luxury cruiser, there’s only enough cabin room for 12 to spend the night.

Salmon describes his baby as “the ultimate travelling private resort and on-water events venue’’ and says it will deliver “six-star luxury Mediterranean style service’’.

Of course, it won’t come cheap.

Racing car driver and former hotelier Rod Salmon.

Those looking to charter the big boat for corporate retreats, weddings, birthdays and other flash events will have to cough up $2800 per hour or $49,000-plus for a three-night escape.

It’s set to cruise through the Whitsundays and other parts of the Barrier Reef between August and October.

BIG BOAT BASH

Oneworld’s arrival at the Gold Coast City Marina and Shipward on Wednesday is no accident.

It will be just one of 19 super yachts, collectively valued at a whopping $200 million or so, that will tie up at the Coomera precinct this weekend.

The second annual event, known as the Australian Superyacht Rendezvous, is expected to attract a swarm of owners and buyers from across the country, as well as plenty of tourism industry players.

Salmon, who just offloaded his Sydney mansion in September for more than $12 million, will be on hand to pump up interest in his new toy, of course.

He’ll be taking a select few on a champagne brunch cruise on Sunday around the Gold Coast Seaway, Broadwater and Wavebreak Island.

Also working the events will be Jonathan Beckett, who heads global yacht broking business Burgess, and Peter Mahoney, a top gun with Benetti, the Italian mob which just happens to be the world’s oldest and biggest yacht builder.

The high point of the weekend seems certain to be the VIP cocktail party on Saturday night, with a 250-strong crowd expected to sip champagne, munch on canapés and have a sticky beak on all the boats.

Among those on the guest list are Hardy Brothers boss Stuart Bishop, Ocean Alliance chief Joachim Howard, Abell Point Marina head Paul Darrouzet, Adagold Aviation’s Katelyn Aslett, Northrop & Johnson supremo Cam Bray and Aqualuma co-founders Carl and Grant Amor.

SPLASHING OUT

The astonishing churn at the top of Brisbane engineering mob Cardno is made doubly amazing by how much they spent on the last bloke, who was sacked on Friday (the 13th!) after just a month in the job.

Andy Goodwin got the chop for allegedly failing to follow board directions related to an Australian Federal Police bribery investigation in to his former employer, SMEC Holdings. He denies any wrongdoing.

It’s understood Cardno, which suffered a $21.9 million net loss in the half-year, splashed out a considerable sum with Zurich-based global headhunters Egon Zehnder just to find Goodwin.

Cardno announced his appointment last November at a base pay of $US575,000.

They then flew senior managers to Hawaii for a meet’n greet with the new boss, who was based on the US mainland.

Cardno, which has gone through seven CEOs in the past four years, is now cranking up the executive search engine again.

It must feel like groundhog day.