A Decade of Coral Sea Marina
It’s been 10 years since Coral Sea Marina Resort owner Paul Darrouzet’s acquisition of the Abell Point Marina.
In the past decade, the tired, run-down marina in receivership has been transformed into Queensland’s first 5 Gold Anchor Platinum Marina. The Coral Sea Marina Resort
Darrouzet’s vision was clear when he acquired the out-of-sorts marina: to create a better place for people to visit, live and work, to develop a strong economy for the Whitsundays with quality tourism products and experiences, to protect the natural assets surrounding the marina and to make meaningful contributions to the community. Today, through investment, dedication and commitment, that vision has been realised.
In the first 18 months of ownership, 21,000sq m of concrete was poured, a new arrival plaza was created, buildings were demolished, new ones were erected, and the marina had been dredged to allow access for larger vessels. It soon proved that this was only the beginning.
“The aim throughout the development process has always been to create an entry statement for Airlie Beach, a premium destination for locals, visitors, and tourists and the ‘Monaco of the South Pacific’ for superyachts,” explains marina owner, Paul Darrouzet. “Undoubtedly a highlight of the decade was the acquisition of neighbouring Coral Sea Resort and the subsequent merger and rebranding of these two Airlie Beach icons to become Coral Sea Marina Resort.”
In 2023, despite natural disasters, pandemics and economic downturns, Coral Sea Marina has proudly become Australia’s most rewarded marina. The accolades and accreditations over the last decade are many, including being awarded the Australian Marina of the Year award several times (2017/18, 2019/20, Hall of Fame 2021) and winning gold at the Queensland Tourism Awards (2017).
In 2016, Coral Sea Marina became the first marina in Australia to be awarded 5 Gold Anchor Marina accreditation through the Marina Industries Association. In 2019, the marina was the first in Queensland to accredit under the same scheme at Platinum level and has successfully maintained that accreditation to today.
CEO of the Marina Industries Association, Suzanne Davies, remarks, “On behalf of the Marina Industries Association, congratulations to Paul Darrouzet and his CSM team, led by CEO Kate Purdie, on what they have achieved over the last 10 years. As one of only three 5 Gold Anchor Platinum Marinas in the country and one of the first to accredit as Superyacht Ready, CSM leaves no stone unturned as it strives to retain its position as one of the country’s most prestigious and well-managed marinas. This isn’t just a marina for boat owners, the marina’s outreach and support of philanthropic causes shows that it’s also a crucial part of the local community, and its heavy conservational investments demonstrate it is a champion for the environment.”
In 2017 and 2021, the marina was awarded Superyacht Industry Service Provider of the Year by AIMEX (Australian International Marine Export Group), and in 2022 it was named Best Superyacht Marina in the international ACREW Superyacht Business Awards.
Amid these accolades, the marina has become an industry leader that passionately advocates for both the boating community and the environment. As a certified Clean Marina Level III/ Fish Friendly Marina, it maintains a strong focus on protecting the marine environment and the Great Barrier Reef. Coral Sea Marina Resort has become a community-focused recreation hub by bringing major events to the region and has successfully lobbied the government for financial relief for its commercial tourism operators in the wake of the pandemic.
A dedicated and loyal marina team, many of whom have been with the business for over 10 years, is led by CEO Kate Purdie. She explains, “A significant contributing factor to the success of the marina is our people. The marina team is focused on continuous improvement which enables us to provide transformational guest experiences in Australia’s most iconic boating destination. The 10-year anniversary celebrations are a chance for us to recognize Paul’s achievements but also to acknowledge the achievements of the entire team.”
The Coral Sea Marina team
To mark the milestone, the Coral Sea Marina team was joined by industry colleagues, marina guests, marina operators and tenants for sunset cocktails at the newly renovated Coral Sea Resort.
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