The Boat Works’ New Superyacht Yard Now Open for Business

After a phenomenally fast build time of just nine months, The Boat Works’ new superyacht yard has rolled out the blue carpet for visiting vessels and is now open for business. Over the past two weeks, the state-of-the-art new yard has already welcomed some of the region’s premium vessels over 30 metres for refit, repairs and maintenance, attracted by the five star amenities and the Gold Coast’s largest lift at 300 tonnes.

Now spanning two facilities, The Boat Works occupies 55 acres in total and accommodates vessels from 5 to 50 metres within a masterfully designed and landscaped precinct in the heart of the Gold Coast Marine Precinct, Coomera.

The new 300 tonne boat hoist joins the southern yard’s complement of 70 tonne lift, 100 tonne marine travel lift and the 45 tonne Hydraulic Sealift, catering to wide-bodied multihulls. 

The Longhurst family’s private investment of more than $100 million has resulted in marine and lifestyle infrastructure that will prove a magnet for international superyachts and benefit south-east Queensland and Australia.

“We’ve had a cast of thousands working on the development and it is already delivering economic flow on for businesses in south-east Queensland,” said owner Tony Longhurst. “Raising the standard has always been the motivation at The Boat Works, and the superyacht yard is testament to the Longhurst family’s dedication to eco-development and sustainability.”

The new superyacht yard occupies over 50,000 square metres of hardstand and superyacht refit sheds, accommodating one kilometre of boats within, from wide-bodied catamarans, motor yachts and sailboats to superyachts – as many as 40 vessels within state-of-the-art refit sheds and hardstand.

On the water, the purpose-built marina, constructed by Gold Coast-based marina specialist, Superior Jetties, features berthing for 15 Superyachts to 50 metres, with alongside berthing for vessels up to 70 metres.

John Hogan, CEO at Superior Jetties said he is proud to have worked closely with The Boat Works to create “a world-class Superyacht facility”. 

“The owner’s vision was for a fully-integrated site, so multiple environmental systems have been designed. Tony and all the team have been a pleasure to deal with and we value this landmark development as one of our best worldwide.”

International captains experiencing the new superyacht yard attest that the aesthetic and atmosphere rival marinas in Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach or Barcelona – a five star resort for vessels. 

The captain of 33 metre MY Pinnacle said he and his crew received “first class service at a facility that surpasses many other facilities I have experienced as an international captain.”

The 35 metre Sunseeker MY Settlement’s captain was blown away by the new Superyacht facility, too. “This is next level! Compared to the rest of the world, there is nothing close to it here or overseas. I’ve been to most yards in the world and this is unique. The attention to detail throughout the facility is unlike any other. The staff here have bent over backwards for us. We will be return customers for sure.”

The Captains’ Club Lounge – a luxury, two storey VIP reception centre adjacent to the slipway – is a quiet retreat for captains, crew and owners, offering an array of premium services and commanding views over their vessel, marina and superyacht yard. The lounge was designed as a bespoke space for private discussions among owners, project managers and service providers, perfect for meetings, admin, emails and refreshments.

Along with access to more than 60 marine professionals and businesses on-site, added value for visiting captains and crew include being able to renew and upskill commercial licensing with internationally-recognised training at Paradigm Maritime, and a choice of restaurants, cafes and bar.

Creating a “clean green marina” was the prime objective from the outset, setting a new benchmark for boat yards, and a commitment to preserving up to 200-metres of land along the one-kilometre waterfrontage has resulted in a revival of plant and marine life and preserves the ecosystem.

The resort-style lawns, palms and citrus trees create an oasis where bio-gardens are planted along the yard’s perimeter as the final stage of the self-cleaning function of tier-level yard. All water on-site is treated via the latest high-tech filtration system, and rainwater harvesting captured from each super shed structure can be used for vessel wash downs.

A second solar array will add to the 100kw solar panel system southern yard, with the aim of the entire facility becoming self-sufficient.

Most importantly, and the guiding philosophy behind the entire development, is the job creation across sectors and with flow on into the broader community. With a history in the Coomera area dating back to 1975, the Longhurst family, who built Australia’s first theme park Dreamworld, took over ownership of the original boat yard in 2000 and have owned Riviera Motor Yachts since 2012. Over 45 years, they have created employment for thousands of Australians of all walks of life.

“More boats means more jobs,” said Tony Longhurst. “Not just in the marine and boating industries but in hospitality, tourism, provisioning – all the things visitors to our region want to see and experience, as well as works they carry out on their boats.”

Tony added: “The whole Marine Precinct is energised and there’s a surge of positivity in response to the new Superyacht Legislation [allowing foreign-flagged vessels to charter in Australian waters], the Queensland Government’s Superyacht Strategy and commitment to ongoing dredging of the Coomera River and Gold Coast waterways.”

The next phase of this landmark development will commence in the near future with Stage 2, comprising a dedicated sand-blasting shed and refit workshops along with the architecturally-designed lifestyle complex for retail, professional offices, function centre, restaurants and bars, landscaped as a tranquil reserve for visiting boaties, contractors and those seeking an entertainment venue with sensational vistas of superyachts.