WATCH: Fly-through of A$200M Rivergate Expansion

Rivergate Marina & Shipyard is already renowned globally as a world-class destination for superyacht refit and maintenance. Ideally situated between Australia’s major cruising grounds of Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef, Rivergate is a key service hub for superyachts cruising the South Pacific and beyond. 

The Brisbane City Council has approved Rivergate’s Development Application to further expand its shipyard facilities on the Brisbane river. The $200M (AUD) development will deliver a remarkable Superyacht Hub capable of meeting the requirements of the growing number of superyachts visiting Australia.

Rivergate’s development includes a A$35M state-of-the-art shiplift capable of lifting vessels of up to 3,000 tonnes and 90 metres in length, along with new hardstand space, sheds, and berthing to service multiple large yachts at the same time.

As can be seen in the above video, Rivergate’s vision extends beyond heavy infrastructure upgrades, with a great deal of thought given to creating an ideal environment for workers and crew. Rivergate will become a Trade Centre for Excellence with a new 5-storey purpose-built facility featuring training rooms, offices, café, world-class crew accommodation and crew recreation facilities.

Speaking to Superyachts.com in February 2021, Rivergate’s Director, Tom Hill, emphasised that the expansion was perfectly timed to accommodate the larger superyachts wanting to visit Australia. Welcoming the development approval, Mr Hill stated that the expansion is now ‘shovel ready’ pending government funding.

“Brisbane is already an ideal location for servicing and repairing superyachts, several classes of Defence vessels and other commercial shipping,” said Tom Hill.

“This expansion would provide owners and captains of large recreational vessels with the assurance that world-class facilities are available for both routine and unplanned maintenance works while they are cruising in our region.”

Speaking ahead of the upcoming Australia InDepth documentary series, Cy Wastell, Captain of M/Y No Comment, praised Rivergate’s service and project management. On the development, Mr Wastell stated that “the major benefit for the proposed expansion of Rivergate Marina is that it will become a one-stop-shop for us. We can come here and get everything that we need done, and we don’t have to look elsewhere for those services.

“It will certainly make a better base for us to be here for a while and explore the Asia Pacific and South Pacific regions. The extra facilities will just reinforce the already good services that Rivergate provide and lead to more enjoyment by owners, captains and crews alike.”

We look forward to following the construction of Rivergate’s facility extension in the near future as Australia’s refit and maintenance offering is given another huge boost.