Gold Coast’s marine precincts in Coomera fast becoming one-stop-shops for superyachts cruising the South Pacific

The Gold Coast’s world-class marina precincts starting to become the place for superyachts in the South Pacific

SUPERYACHT captains are choosing the Gold Coast over New Zealand as word of the city’s surging marina precincts travels across the globe.

Dan Farrell, captain of De Lisle III, said five years ago he would have never docked for maintenance at the Gold Coast.

Unable to cruise the South Pacific because of coronavirus, MV De Lisle III is undergoing survey work at the new $100 million Boat Works precinct in Coomera. Last year it berthed at Gold Coast City Marina, which has helped put the city on the big boat map with its annual Australian Superyacht Rendezvous.

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The 42-metre MY De Lisle III is having its five-year survey done after being forced out of the water because of COVID-19 restrictions. Picture Glenn Hampson

“For superyachts cruising the South Pacific the best option had always been NZ but with The Boat Works and the Gold Coast City Marina offering world-class facilities, I now send captains straight to the Gold Coast,” he said.

“The difference between these yards and others in Queensland is there’s a lot less traffic here, less pollution and the environment is a lot cleaner.

“There’s also so much to do on the Gold Coast. The beaches are pretty close by and then you can go into the Hinterland in the afternoon.

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Captain Dan Farrell in front of the 42-metre MY De Lisle III at The Boat Works in Coomera on the Gold Coast. They are capitalising on a pause in operations to carry out their routine maintenance program. Picture Glenn Hampson

‘The whole precinct in Coomera is a one-stop-shop for superyachts as far as I’m concerned. In the last couple of years the Gold Coast has really put Australia on the map.”

At 42-metres, the De Lisle III is privately owned by Gold Coast businessman Peter Smith and based in Airlie Beach. It’s available for cruising throughout the South Pacific for USD $125,000 a week. Mr Smith’s Australian Sea Air Charters company also operates a Cessna Citation Encore private jet to offer holiday-makers direct access to superyacht.

Mr Farrell and his six crew were staying at a local Airbnb but hoped to be back on the water by mid-June.

Captain Dan Farrell hopes to be back on the water in mid-June. Picture Glenn Hampson

He added that the Gold Coast didn’t offer many “cruising options” so it was unlikely to become a place where superyachts were chartered from.

“But it’s the perfect place for refits and a place that superyachts can come in and gear up for their voyages across the South Pacific,” he said.

“This is especially the case in regards to provisioning, some of these charters we’ve had out of Airlie are spending $500,000 on provisions, so there’s definitely big opportunities here for the Gold Coast.”

Meanwhile, a permanent border clearing station at the Southport Yacht Club was recently approved by the Federal Government, opening the way for more superyachts to sail into the Gold Coast Seaway. It was first established as a trial in July 2017 to clear foreign vessels of less than 50 metres in length to support the Commonwealth Games.