Novocastrians could soon get a taste of the lifestyles of the rich and the famous with a plan to make room for superyachts stretching up to 45 metres.
Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club has lodged a $4.25 million proposal to transform one of its marinas at Wickham, replacing 31 existing berths with 16 larger berths, four of those accommodating luxury superyachts.
Under the plans lodged with City of Newcastle, the existing Arm A marina will be demolished and reconfigured, along with upgrades to the electrical supply.
The move is part of a broader plan which could put Newcastle in competition with Queensland, long-regarded as Australia's home of superyacht construction.
In August last year, the state government committed $5 million to build a new superyacht service facility at the yacht club, which would make it the only dedicated maintenance berth in NSW.
Expected to be up and running in October, the facility should be ready to receive superyachts for the summer season, relieving pressure on Sydney's capacity and attracting "high-value" visitors who will hopefully spend big in the city.
A Statement of Environmental Effects (SEE) lodged with the plans for the new marina next door to the proposed $1.6 billion Honeysuckle HQ precinct, said the proposed development would strengthen Newcastle's position as a premier maritime service destination for international and domestic vessels.
"It will create skilled employment opportunities in marine trades, tourism, and hospitality, and is expected to generate significant local jobs during both construction and operational phases," the SEE said.
"The facility will also attract high-yield tourism and increase associated expenditure in accommodation, hospitality, retail, and local services, providing lasting benefits to the regional economy."
Millionaires and billionaires will need to book before mooring with an 11am checkout time.
In Australia, the superyacht industry and its supply chain contribute $590 million to the economy, with a further $1.4 billion in flow-on activity.
The proponent argues that if Newcastle could capture just 10 per cent of the market, it would be worth $60 million in direct spending, $130 million in economic activity and support up to 1400 jobs.
In a submission supporting the plans, Newcastle Tourism Industry Group chair Dominic May said the proposed marina was an opportunity to expand Newcastle's maritime tourism offering.
"Newcastle has a unique opportunity to leverage its working harbour, coastal location and growing reputation as a visitor destination," Mr May said.
"The development of infrastructure capable of better accommodating the superyacht market would strengthen Newcastle's capacity to participate in this specialised tourism sector and provide another compelling reason for visitors to choose Newcastle as a destination.
"Importantly, the benefits of this development have the potential to extend well beyond the marina itself."
Superyacht Australia chief executive David Good said Newcastle's strategic position, along with its growing reputation as a marine hub, made it an ideal location for the development.
He said the key benefits will include expanding the state's capacity to attract and service superyachts, generating employment and boosting local businesses.
The site of the proposed development is on land owned by Transport for NSW. The agency objected to the proposal, saying that while it had received a request to give consent to lodge the development application, it needed more information to assess the plans.
To build the new marina, existing piles will need to be removed and new piles hammered into the seabed at a depth of about 10 metres.
The pontoons are prefabricated and will be trucked to site before being floated into position and secured.
The site does have a history of marina and port use, and the seabed is known to have been impacted by tributyltin and is possibly underlain by acid sulphate soils.
According to the SEE, Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club is seeking a preliminary site investigation of the seabed to understand potential ecological or human health risks.
Submissions close August 25.
