Superyachts head to Southport

The new $9 million superyacht berth at Southport is officially open for business, catering for vessels up to 130 metres. Three Horizon yachts, including the 31 metre My Askari, were the latest of soon to be many more vessels docking at the new berth.

This follows a visit from the 68m Lady Christine late last year—owned by a Scottish Lord and worth approximately $60 million.

Queensland is understandably a popular destination choice for superyachts. With sunny skies, a stunning coastline and world-famous natural attractions like the iconic Whitsunday Islands and Great Barrier Reef, Queensland offers unparalleled natural beauty that is perfect for unforgettable charters.

The Gold Coast is a major gateway to these areas, and already boasts world-class refit facilities and services to ensure superyacht visitors are well cared for during their stay.

Economic modelling, conducted by AEC Group for Superyacht Australia, forecasts that the Gold Coast superyacht industry will support more than 2,470 full-time equivalent jobs by 2025, generating nearly $280 million in gross regional profit.

The new berth at Southport is yet another draw card for the region, being the largest superyacht berth in Australia attached to a land floating marina. The dock’s innovative design also allows easy access to the yachts for maintenance, contractors and suppliers via a service road that runs the length of the berth for easy provisioning.

The Queensland Government invested $2.87 million towards the project, in partnership with the Southport Yacht Club and the Gold Coast City Council. Along with a further $19,000 for high-tech computer simulations to ensure the safety of large vessels on their way to the new superyacht facility.

With Queensland hosting the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics, facilities like this will help ensure that all visiting superyachts have an amazing experience in Queensland, whether they're here for pleasure or work.

This project is an integral part of the Queensland Superyacht Strategy which sets the course for Queensland to become a major superyacht hub for the Asia-Pacific region by 2023.