The $80 million Superyacht Dragonfly arrives on the Gold Coast for maintenance

AN $80 million floating palace owned by a founder of search engine giant Google has arrived on the Gold Coast for a visit which political leaders say could give the city’s economy a shot in the arm.

AN $80 million superyacht owned by one the founders of Google and believe to be the world’s fastest will arrive in Gold Coast waters today.

The Dragonfly a 73m floating palace has been spotted off the Coast and is expected to dock at Southport Yacht Club this afternoon, dwarfing its fellow vessels in the Broadwater.

It will soon head north where it will moor at Gold Coast City Marina for $1 million worth of repairs and upgrades.

SUPERYACHTS INUNDATE SOUTHPORT

The Dragonfly

The contract to fix the boat has been declared a major coup for the Gold Coast by political leaders who say the city should be a superyacht hotspot for the world.

Fadden MP Stuart Robert spent three weeks helping negotiate the vessels arrival and said it could bring millions into the Gold Coast.

SUPERYACHTS FLOOD TO THE COAST

Dragonfly’s interior.

“A visit from a super yacht like the Dragonfly raises the profile and status of the Gold Coast as a world class destination for boat owners and their crew” he said.

“Boats like the Dragon Fly are now more likely to visit the Gold Coast and inject millions of dollars into the local economy and jobs due to the new customs clearance port which opened in 2017.

The "Dragonfly," at the Southport Yacht club. Pic Jono Searle.

“Only 1.5 per cent of superyachts in the world currently visit Australia. It’s not good enough and I am fighting to have the red tape reduced to allow Australia, and the Gold Coast to claim its deserved reputation as a superyacht hotspot.”

The Dragonfly was built in 2009 and was bought in 2011 by Google co-founder Sergey Brin.

Its features include a giant sundeck which doubles as a dance floor, an open-air cinema and hot tub.

It was once chartered out for $733,000 a week.

The vessel has recorded speeds of up to 27 knots.

Marina director Trenton Gay hailed the Dragonfly’s arrival as an “exciting” development.

‘It is exiting news and good for the Gold Coast that we could work to get them here,” he said.

The Dragonfly has previous visited the Coast. Pic Jono Searle.