A small change in regulations is about to make a big impact on superyacht charter and cruising Down Under. Twenty-one newly created anchorages within the Great Barrier Reef are now available. Better yet, it means yachts from 115 to 230 feet (35 to 70 meters) can finally access the Reef.
The anchorages are all within the Whitsundays, one of the Reef’s most popular regions. Superyacht Australia, a trade organization promoting the country and its yachting-related businesses, has spent the past nine years lobbying for this change. After all, Tourism Australia promotes the Great Barrier Reef globally to tourists, yet not all yachts were welcome.
An existing government zoning and management plan protects the natural habitat while still allowing tourism. Previously, superyachts couldn’t exceed 115 feet LOA. As a result, both Australian superyacht owners and owners from other countries turned to other Pacific cruising regions, like Fiji.
Superyacht Australia shared an economic-impact study, plus details on how yachts operate, with the government. MaryAnne Edwards, CEO of the organization, says officials now understand that superyachts “lead the world in all aspects of maritime best practices.” Additionally, these yachts “pose no additional risk to the environment, social, or cultural values of the Whitsunday region.” Furthermore, Edwards adds, the government “now understands the value of the jobs and economic benefits of this sector to Australia, regional Australia in particular.”
David Good, the operations manager for Cairns Marlin Marina, sees strong promise for visitors and regional businesses. “It was always very hard for visiting captains to understand the restrictions on access to one of the world’s best cruising grounds,” he notes. “These 21 new anchorages will really open up another cruising option and benefit the whole region by encouraging these vessels to stay longer and venture further.”
To that point, Superyacht Australia is creating a cruising itinerary to share with captains and owners. It will involve all the superyacht-capable marinas from Cairns to Tasmania. Details will be available at the Monaco Yacht Show.
Leave a Reply