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9 Best Marinas for Liveaboards on the Gold Coast

Move over #vanlife, ’cause given the rise of sailing channels like Sailing La Vagabonde over the years, #boatlife is here to stay. As a result, thousands of people are on YachtHub daily looking at the cost of a boat.

As an Australian, there is no greater place to become a liveaboard than the Gold Coast. Balmy summer days and mild waters make it the perfect spot, and it’s little wonder why I lived there for 4 years right across from the Southport Yacht Club.

I recently did some research to find some marinas on the Gold Coast that allow liveaboards, either short-term or long-term. And while you can stay on an anchorage for 7 days, sometimes you might want to stay longer to ride out an approaching storm front, restock your boat or do some necessary repairs. Or work directly from your boat!

Either way, I’ve got you covered. Here are 9 highly recommended liveaboard marinas on the Gold Coast:

1. Mariner’s Cove Marina (Main Beach)

My #1 best pick is always Mariner’s Cove Marina. Its location means you’ll have access to grocery stores, boutiques and public transport links. If you fancy catching some waves in the morning, then Main Beach and Narrowneck serves up an incredible 2-foot to 5-foot swell in the winter months.

2. Southport Yacht Club

Right next door to Mariner’s Cove is the Southport Yacht Club. Often it’s less likely that you’ll find an available berth here but alas, still worth a mention given the central location. There is nothing better than having lunch here on a weekday and catching up with the locals who all have one too many stories to tell.

3. Runaway Bay Marina (Hollywell)

The Runaway Bay Marina is still quite central and a place to spot some of the nicest waterfront homes around the Gold Coast. It can get a little crowded here so it’s worth calling up in advance to check if any of the 196 marine berths are available for temporary bookings. This is one popular spot for cruising catamarans and yachts coming in from Fiji and the rest of the South Pacific.

4. Gold Coast City Marina & Shipyard

If you need some serious work done to your hull, engines or batteries, then you need to get it over to the Gold Coast City Marina and Shipyard. This place is huge! Aesthetically-speaking, it isn’t the best given it’s a full-service boat-works area just like The Boat Works mentioned below, but well worth checking out regardless.

5. Calypso Bay Marina

The latest marina to open on the Gold Coast is Calypso Bay who allows liveaboards for short-term occupancy. The area is stunning and quite a distance away from the party boats and tourists of the Gold Coast. The area is still in development but you can see some real money here with the beautiful waterfront homes and upmarket dining options.

6. Tweed Marina

Fancy heading south? Across the border and into New South Wales, you’ll find Tweed Marina. They allow liveaboard cruisers for the short-term and this is the only marina you’ll find until you get down to Brunswick Heads. That said – you won’t want to leave with just how peaceful it is here at Tweed Heads with its numerous cafes and vibrant waterways worth exploring. No jet skis here and rarely do you find powerboats too!

7. Hope Island and Hope Harbour Marinas

There are two marinas here. You’ve got Hope Island Marina and Hope Harbour Marina which both allow liveaboard cruising couples needing a save haven for a little while. You can stay here year-round except for April and May where the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show comes to town.

8. The Boat Works

The Boat Works is a highly recommended place to find quality marine mechanics and upholstery experts, as well as staying in the marina. The place is quite busy and no doubt you’ll spot a few large superyachts as well. Based on Coomera, their claim is “Australia’s greatest boatyard” and I certainly would agree. Plenty of marine trades here and world-class facilities, though not always the best place to enjoy the serenity.

9. Bayview Harbour

A top spot to enjoy the quieter side of the Gold Coast is Bayview Harbour. This happens to be one of the oldest and most established marinas on the Gold Coast and you can certainly stay here as a liveaboard. Unfortunately, apart from some local cafes, there isn’t much shopping or much else to do here, so it’s really for the short-stay liveaboards.

Getting Started

And I’m done! That’s 9 great marinas worth checking into if you live aboard your boat. Of course, you’re unlikely to stay long term (several years) in these locations but you can certainly stay short-term. To get around some of the rules, you can always head off to one of the Gold Coast anchorages for a few days and then return, or head off to another one of these beautiful marinas!

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Business Description

Southport Yacht Club, established in 1946, is the Gold Coast’s award-winning premier sports club. Our Main Beach Clubhouse is home to the only open-air waterfront north-facing restaurant & bar. Overlooking our stunning 300-berth Marina on the Gold Coast’s waters, this location is a perfect venue for your next conference, function or waterfront wedding.

The Hollywell Clubhouse is home to our SYC sailing squadron, along with a Bar & Bistro. It’s the ideal place to grab a cold drink and watch one of our many off-the-beach Sailing events. Our well cared for campgrounds are the ideal place for you to moor and relax with family and friends. Watch the sunset behind the beautiful Hinterland, while toasting marshmallows in the outdoor fire pit.

• Electricity at Berths
• Food & Beverage outlets
• Sewage Pump Out

Other Services

Contact info.

• 1 Macarthur Parade, Main Beach Queensland 4217, Australia
• 07 5591 3500
• [email protected]
• http://www.southportyachtclub.com.au
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Our Mission

The mission of the Southport Yacht Club is to encourage and promote all aspects of yachting in the spirit of good sportsmanship and camaraderie.  The club is committed to creating a Corinthian atmosphere by blending a friendly social environment with a variety of sailing and cruising programs in which members and their families may participate.

Flag Officers

David Truglio

Bob Whitesel

Vice Commodore

Evan Schollaert

Rear Commodore

Stan Wright

Fleet Captain

At Large Board members

Jim Shinn, Rhonda Armistead and Sandy Gibson

Past Commodores

Eric Hoffman, Sam Johnston, Chris Webster and Steve Karch

SYC has something for everyone!

Here are some of events:

Oyster roasts

Themed parties

Community event participation

Labor Day BBQ

Poker run – on the water

Scavenger hunts

And cruises to coastal destinations.

We do it all. This is where members volunteer to make each event extra special special. In addition to our boating focused events, we make sure we enjoy Southport and neighboring towns.  

SYC events are a great way to meet new people and develop friendships that last a lifetime!

Superyacht Australia

Southport yacht club’s megayacht berth official opening.

Seen by many as Australia’s most progressive yacht club in recent times, Southport Yacht Club, on Queensland’s Gold Coast, has taken another significant step into the future with the opening of its spectacular Megayacht docking facility.

Costing some $9 million to construct, this state-of-the-art floating dock sees the Club align itself with the “spare no expense” international superyacht and megayacht market. It will bring millions of dollars and other benefits to the region on an annual basis. The privately owned vessels that fit the Megayacht classification can range in size up to 130m in overall length..

More than 700 VIP guests, including representatives of the Queensland government, the Gold Coast’s Mayor, Tom Tate, plus Southport Yacht Club’s Commodore, Ken Tregeagle, and General Manager, Brett James, led the celebrations on the eleven huge concrete pontoons that form the massive facility at the club.

John Hogan, whose company, Superior Jetties, applied pioneering technology to construct the pontoons; confirmed that the technology used to create the entire dock was a tribute to Australian designers, manufacturers and engineers.

Designer and technician, Greg Forgan-Smith, said everyone associated with the project deserved recognition.

Member's Updates

Ocean alliance launches innovative charter experience platform, revo sunglasses announces premium partnership with hamilton island enterprises for race week and endurance series events, australia indepth documentary.

Superyacht Australia in partnership with superyachts.com is pleased to present ‘Australia InDepth’, a series of informative short documentary films on the vast and incredible destinations on offer when cruising in Australian waters and the world-class service capabilities available to support visiting vessels..

CLICK HERE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

MARINE JOBS

Marine Jobs is an online ‘career centre’ designed to make it easier for employers to advertise vacancies and for people to find the right job for them in the marine industry. This new industry jobs platform provides a range of career resources, including information on apprenticeships and industry training, writing a resume and preparing for an interview.

Click on the link below to see what jobs are now available.

Marine Jobs

Supported by

Upcoming Events

Gold coast marine jobs & careers expo 2024, monaco yacht show, fort lauderdale international boat show, join our email list.

• Funding programs
• Growing Tourism Infrastructure Fund

Southport Yacht Club Superyacht Berth

The Gold Coast is the number one Superyacht destination in the country. With our support the development of a Superyacht berthing facility delivers significant value to the local economy.

Project overview

The Queensland Government partnered with City of Gold Coast and Southport Yacht Club to deliver a 163-metre Superyacht berth at the Southport Yacht Club. Officially opened in February 2022, the new berth allows the Southport Yacht Club to cater for larger vessels (up to 135 metres), opening up the Gold Coast to some of the world’s largest and most luxurious yachts.

This project is a part of the $25 million Growing Tourism Infrastructure (GTI) Fund 2020/21 which is a key element of Queensland’s Economic Recovery Strategy: Unite and Recover for Queensland Jobs to help accelerate the State’s recovery from COVID-19.

Visit  http://www.southportyachtclub.com.au for more information.

Forecast to create around 30 jobs during construction

Expected to grow the local economy by $2.9 million each year

Forecast to support 20 ongoing jobs once operational

Testimonials

The new berthing facility will create more local jobs across the food and beverage, tourism and services sectors and will be supported by our region’s world-class capabilities in vessel repair, refit and maintenance.

Brett James – General Manager – Southport Yacht Club

Last updated: 14 Jul 2023

Ocean Sustainability Forum - Southport Yacht Club

Join us for a morning of discussion on all things sustainable with keynote speakers from government, corporate and community.

Date and time

Southport Yacht Club

Refund Policy

9:30 AM - 10:00 AM

Meet & Greet

10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Keynote Speakers

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Questions & Networking

About this event

• Event lasts 3 hours

Through dynamic discussions and visionary keynote addresses, we aim to inspire and empower participants to pioneer innovations that safeguard our oceans for future generations. Together, we’ll forge new partnerships, influence policy, and ignite global change for a healthier marine ecosystem.

It’s 'UP TO US' to drive change

Ocean Sustainability Conferences are about:

• Raising awareness
• Promoting actionable initiatives
• Fostering partnerships
• Influencing policy decisions
• Include a clean up day after to take action (Coomera River 3rd October)

Regardless of your affiliation—whether with government, the corporate sector, or the local community—there is valuable insight to be gained from this morning's event. Each attendee will receive a gift pack, generously provided by Gurit and other sponsors.

Entry fee helps us cover costs for the day and is fully refundable.

If you're interested in being a sponsor for this event please contact Ian on 0412 932 808

• Australia Events
• Queensland Events
• Things to do in Main Beach, Australia
• Main Beach Conferences
• Main Beach Business Conferences
• #sustainability
• #ocean_sustainability
• #southport_yacht_club

Organized by

• Sailing Program Registration
• Foundation Awards
• Foundation Board and Instructors
• Photo Archives
• Welcome to Jr. Sailing
• Rock the Boat 5K
• Turnabout Races Sailing Instructions
• Seguin Island Trophy Race
• Round Southport Race
• 2023 Race Results
• 2022 Race Results
• 2021 Race Results
• 2020 Race Results
• 2019 Race Results
• 2018 Race Results
• Maine State Optis

SOUTHPORT YACHT CLUB

Celebrating our 101st Season of Sailing on the Sheepscot River!

Established in 1946, Southport Yacht Club is known worldwide for its exceptional sailing and powerboat fraternities, award-winning boating facilities and its exceptional and exclusive waterfront dining.

The Waterfront Restaurant within the Main Beach Clubhouse also went through an extreme upgrade in late 2008, having the western end of the clubhouse knocked down and completely re- built, the waterfront restaurant boasts a relaxing atmosphere complemented with exceptional seasonal menus whilst the Compass Room offers an exclusive setting for corporate, private functions and wedding receptions all year round. We are proud to invite you to visit The Southport Yacht Club which is acknowledged to be second to none on the East Coast of Australia.

Recently Awarded   Best Marina Restaurant in Australia 2019-2020.

Southport Yacht Club’s Sailing Squadron located on the North Shore at Hollywell offers excellent facilities and a supportive environment for all levels of sailing expertise with sailing camps and courses offered.

Finally, Southport Yacht Club’s private retreat, Dux, is located on South Stradbroke Island and proves to be a very popular weekend destination for many members.