Australia Marina of the Year 2007

by Bob Wonders on 14 Jul 2007
For 2007 that honour was accorded to the Soldiers Point Marina, on the shores of Port Stephens and Bob Wonders believes no award was more deserved.

Several years ago, on one of my boat show trips to the United States, I visited an impressive marina at Atlantic City, New Jersey.

I had been a guest at the nearby Viking Yacht Company, itself a most impressive facility, but was left astonished when I eventually made it to this marina.

Simply put, I couldn’t believe the facilities and the overall service it offered its tenants.

For example, a number of berths (slips, as the Americans term them) were left for cruising vessels and if a skipper should dock overnight, local newspapers and fresh milk were left for the crew.

Tenants had access to fully-equipped bathrooms, dog walking areas, massage and beauty services, free 24-hour coffee, every form of food outlet from five-star to takeaway, free courier for airport or terminal pick-up or collection, car parking, service and wash, full boat maintenance on site, boutique fashion outlets, the list was endless.

'That’ll be the day when we see something like this back home,' I thought to myself.

Well, the day has come and it’s happened at Port Stephens, on the NSW Central Coast, only a short drive from Newcastle.

The marina that has set the standard for others to follow is the Soldiers Point Marina, boasting a most delightful address – Sunset Boulevard (don’t you love it?).

I’m not the only one impressed – judges at the recent Australian Marine Awards have honoured the Soldiers Point Marina as Australia’s Marina of the Year and I can’t imagine a more worthy winner.

For those with some knowledge of NSW marina development it will come as so surprise that Soldiers Point Marina is owned by Jeff d’Albora.

Jeff d’Albora, son of the legendary Ron d’Albora, could almost claim to have been born on a marina!

The d’Albora name has been a fixture on marina development, particularly on Sydney Harbour, since World War II came to an end.

Even since the sale of the business in 2000, the new owners, Macquarie Leisure Trust, knew that retaining the d’Albora name was vital to on-going success.

Jeff d’Albora acquired the Soldiers Point Marina in late 1999, keeping it totally separate from the then d’Albora network.

The sale was completed from the Stewart family, and Ken Stewart, who ran the marina in company with his brother Steve and family, remains involved in the industry as a Maritimo dealer on the nearby The Anchorage Marina.

Following his acquisition of Soldiers Point Marina, Jeff d’Albora immediately set out to upgrade the facility, with work starting in the winter of 2001 and completed within months.

Still not content, Jeff initiated further improvements which were undertaken early in 2004 and completed in November that year.

Currently, Soldiers Point Marina boasts 100 berths suitable for craft from 7.0-metres through to 45.0-metres, all generously-sized and accessed via safe and wide walkways.

That’s not all – the demand is there and plans are in place for an additional 60 berths, more car parking and extended workshop and customer facilities.

More customer facilities? I just can’t imagine what else could be offered.

Ready? Let’s look at what makes Soldiers Point Marina tenants happy little Vegemites.

All berths have ample power to service the largest and most modern craft, there’s access to broadband internet, Foxtel and free-to-air television, hardwired telephone and facsimile lines, complimentary courtesy car, garbage removal service, berthing assistance, complimentary tender service when required, 24-hour access to dockmaster service and fuel, laundry, beauty and massage centre, a boat valet service, covering everything from refuelling to stocking the pantry to cleaning and switching on the air conditioning, complimentary Sauna and a reserved private car parking area with complimentary car cover service and car wash available.

Phew!

On top of all this, during the summer season (December to post Easter) all tenants receive (with Mr d’Albora’s compliments) the newspaper of their choice, coffee or other beverage, an afternoon chilled towel and every evening, would you believe, cocktails!

Even that marina I mentioned at Atlantic City would be impressed.

Oh, I should add that tenants can take advantage of discounted green fees at local golf courses, enjoy complimentary tennis at courts adjoining the marina and. When required, avail themselves of free pick/drop off service to the local airport.

This excellent facility is also home to a number of businesses, including R Marine, a brokerage handling new and used sales and representing The Riviera Group, the Soldiers Point Marine Centre for all manner of boat and engine maintenance, the Marina Massage and Beauty Centre, Lifestyle Marine, handling Sea Ray, Boston Whaler and Stacer craft, The Deck Cafe and The Point Restaurant, which has cemented itself as one of the most popular dining establishments in the area.

Of course, to operate such a facility required people and Jeff d’Albora has gathered around him a qualified team capable of and insisting upon first class service all the way.

Marina manager is Darrell Barnett, CMM, and for those who don’t know CMM means Certified Marina Manager. Darrell, who joined the d’Albora team as a casual dockmaster at Akuna Bay in 1996, was among the first to visit the United States and undertake the marina management courses.

He holds certificate number 165, meaning he was the 165th person worldwide to achieve CMM.

In his role as marina manager, Darrell Barnett clocks up quite a few kilometres; he lives at Willoughby, on Sydney’s north shore, and divides his time between the marina and the company’s office in Crows Nest (another Sydney suburb adjoining Willoughby).

'I’m probably up and back about twice a week,' he says, 'although much of it depends on the season and to a degree how busy things are at the marina.'

In his absence, marina supervisor Jim Duncan, described by Darrell Barnett as 'an excellent member of the team', takes care of the day to day operation.

On the marina, Darrell says that while some are indeed local residents, the majority hail from either Newcastle or Sydney and have holiday homes in the area.

'We even have a few from outside NSW, so our complimentary airport service is often well used,' he explained.

Winning Marina of the Year, incidentally, is not the only kudo Soldiers Point Marina has won.

It was a finalist in the 2005 North Coast Tourism Awards (and this was while further development was still under way) and in 2004 became the first Australian marina to gain Clean Marina status from the Marina Industries Association of Australia (MIAA).

I was there the day Darrell Barnett proudly hoisted the Clean Marina flag over the facility and was able to see first hand the potential this marina possessed.

With people like Jeff d’Albora (recently anointed as Chairman of the MIAA) at the helm and Darrell Barnett and Jim Duncan on board, I’d rate Soldiers Point Marina as having set a standard that others will have to follow if they want to achieve similar success.

For further information visit the marina’s informative website, www.soldierspointmarina.com.au

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