MA Financial acquires Gold Coast City Marina & Shipyard
Aerial view of Surfers Paradise, Queensland
MA Financial Group has contracted to acquire Gold Coast City Marina & Shipyard, expanding its marina and shipyard portfolio and adding to its existing network of 16 d’Albora marinas.
MA Financial acquired d’Albora, Australia’s largest marina network, from Balmain Corporation in 2023.
The facility is located in Coomera, in the Australian state of Queensland, and comprises a marine precinct with capacity for approximately 100 vessels in wet berths and more than 280 in dry storage. The site includes around 30,000sqm of marine industrial tenancies, incorporating four superyacht sheds, alongside approximately 35,000sqm of hardstand.
Gold Coast City Marina accommodates both domestic and international customers and operates across berthing, refit and marine services.
The acquisition adds a shipyard and superyacht servicing component to MA Financial’s marina portfolio. It also increases the group’s presence along Australia’s east coast, where its existing d’Albora network is concentrated.
Brad Couper, head of alternative real estate at MA Financial, says: “This acquisition delivers significant capability to the d’Albora network, and represents a meaningful addition to the Fund. Gold Coast City Marina offers operational diversification across berthing, refit and marine services, tenancy revenue and hardstand offerings. It is a highly complementary addition to our existing portfolio and aligns with our strategy of growing a high-quality east coast marina platform.”
The MA Marina Fund provides exposure to a portfolio of marinas along Australia’s east coast. Since acquiring the d’Albora network in 2023, the fund has focused on investment in marina infrastructure and operations.
The portfolio includes sites in Sydney Harbour at Rushcutters Bay, The Spit and Cabarita Point, as well as locations near Melbourne’s CBD and regional centres such as Nelson Bay and Akuna Bay in New South Wales.
Julian Biggins, joint CEO at MA Financial, says: “Marinas represent defensive, cash-generative assets that have delivered consistently strong returns for our investors. Gold Coast City Marina adds a strategically located operation with established earnings to the portfolio.
“We have strong conviction in the long-term fundamentals of Australia’s marina industry. Demand for premium berthing and servicing remains firm, supported by growth in recreational boating activity and increasing demand for integrated marine services. Assets of this size and quality are tightly held, and we will continue to allocate capital where we see durable earnings and clear growth pathways.”
