Empire Marina Bobbin Head

What Empire Marina Bobbin Head does

Empire Marina Bobbin Head is a family-owned, full-service recreational marina located in North Turramurra, New South Wales, operating within the protected waters of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. Founded in 2004 and privately held by two families, the marina offers 200 berths for vessels ranging from 8m to 30m plus 10 moorings, supported by one of the largest hardstand facilities in NSW, a fuel dock, pump-out, and a live marina dashboard providing weather, wind, tide, and camera feeds. The business serves individual recreational boat owners and boat club members primarily in the Sydney North Shore and Broken Bay / Pittwater / Hawkesbury catchment.

The company operates a diversified revenue model spanning recurring berth subscriptions, professional marine services (antifouling, hull cleaning, boat painting, mechanical work), a transactional boat brokerage (Gaffikin Marine at Empire Boat Sales), membership-based boat sharing via Freedom Boat Club Sydney North, and on-site food, beverage, and ancillary retail (Waterside Bistro, fuel, ice, gas, bait). Pricing is quote-based rather than publicly listed, and go-to-market is overwhelmingly direct: phone, email, website enquiry forms, on-site tours, an annual Bobbin Head Boat Show, and community events that function as a lifestyle-led referral engine. The marina holds Clean Marina Level 3, Fish Friendly, and Gold Anchor accreditations, and has won multiple industry awards, including the 2023 Australian Best Boatyard Award (under 20 boats) and the MIA Marina Restaurant of the Year Award for its on-site bistro.

The technology base is operational rather than digital: floating pontoon berth systems, an on-site straddle carrier for boat lifting, a fuel dock, and a real-time information dashboard. There is no proprietary software platform, no disclosed AI/ML capability, and no API or developer-facing integrations. The competitive position rests on a non-replicable protected-water location, a hard-built community culture, and operational scale at the hardstand, rather than on technology differentiation.

Name

Empire Marina Bobbin Head

Legal name

Empire Marina Bobbin Head Pty Ltd

Website

https://empiremarinas.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Empire Marina Bobbin Head is a family-owned, full-service recreational marina in Sydney's Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park offering 200 berths, hardstand maintenance, boat brokerage, a Freedom Boat Club chapter, and an on-site bistro for individual boat owners in the Sydney North Shore catchment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

North Turramurra

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Marina Berth Rental: Recurring berth rental fees for 200 permanent and casual marina berths ranging from 8m to 30m in length. Berth holders pay monthly or annual fees for their berth, which includes access to power, water, and marina facilities.
2. Moorings: Rental income from 10 moorings available for boat owners.
3. Boat Maintenance and Antifouling: Hardstand services including antifouling, hull cleaning, boat painting, and general maintenance. Revenue earned per service/job performed on boats using on-site facilities.
4. Boat Sales Brokerage: Gaffikin Marine operates at Empire Marina Bobbin Head as a marine broker selling new and pre-owned boats. Brokerage earns commission on sales, with boats displayed on-site in brokerage berths.
5. Waterside Bistro: On-site licensed bistro generates revenue from food, coffee, cocktails, wine, beer, and takeaway food sales. Open seven days a week for marina clients and visitors.
6. Fuel, Ice, Gas, Bait Sales: On-site fuel dock and provisions sales (ice, gas, bait) generate ancillary revenue from boat owners refuelling and provisioning at the marina.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Empire Marina Bobbin Head provides 200 sheltered marina berths (8m to 30m) and 10 moorings for recreational vessels on Sydney's northern waterways, supported by full on-site boat maintenance services including antifouling, hull cleaning, boat painting, and hardstand facilities. The marina also operates boat brokerage sales through Gaffikin Marine, hosts Freedom Boat Club Sydney North membership, and runs the on-site Waterside Bistro as part of a comprehensive boating lifestyle offering.

Product overview

Empire Marina Bobbin Head is a family-owned marina offering a comprehensive suite of boating lifestyle services. The core offering centers on 200 marina berths (ranging 8m-30m) and 10 moorings, supported by full-service maintenance facilities including anti-fouling and hardstand services. The portfolio extends to boat sales through Gaffikin Marine, Freedom Boat Club membership for boat sharing, and Waterside Bistro for on-site dining. Additional services include a real-time marina dashboard with weather and camera feeds, plus regular community events. The marina positions itself as a complete boating destination rather than simply a berth storage facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Waterside Bistro: Licensed on-site restaurant serving food and exceptional coffee at the marina
• Empire Gals Club
• Freedom Boat Club Sydney North

Products and services

• Marina Berths & Mooring
• Boat Antifoul Service
• Maintenance & Servicing
• Boat Sales
• Freedom Boat Club
• Waterside Bistro

Quantifiable outcome

• Saves up to 50% on annual berthing costs compared to Sydney Harbour marinas
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Freedom Boat Club Sydney NorthcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFreedom Boat Club operates a boat-sharing club from Empire Marina Bobbin Head. Members pay a membership fee for access to a fleet of boats without ownership costs. The club has 400+ locations globally, giving members expanded access beyond Sydney. The marina hosts the club and provides the berthing infrastructure.
• Waterside BistrocoreOthersOn-site licensed bistro operated at Empire Marina Bobbin Head, serving coffee, food, cocktails, wine, and beer seven days a week. Winner of MIA Marina Restaurant of the Year Award. The bistro enhances the marina lifestyle offering and attracts visitors to the marina.
• Gaffikin Marine at Empire Boat SalescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMarine brokerage operated on-site at Empire Marina Bobbin Head, selling new and pre-owned boats. Boats are displayed in brokerage berths at the marina, visible to all visitors and berth holders. Offers special berthing deals for brokerage clients.
• MW Marine (NSW dealer for Jeanneau, Four Winns, Wellcraft)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSydney-based boat dealership and official NSW dealer for Jeanneau, Four Winns, and Wellcraft brands. Exhibited boats including Jeanneau Merry Fisher 795 and 895 at the Bobbin Head Boat Show. Provides boat sales presence at marina events.
• Chapman MarineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBoat dealer exhibiting Sea Ray boats at the Bobbin Head Boat Show. Helps prospective customers experience the boating lifestyle and connects boat buyers with marina services.
• Bobbin Head Cruising ClubminorOthersLocal boating club located near the marina. Grant Cunningham was elected Commodore of the club. The club holds virtual and in-person events and is part of the broader boating community in the Bobbin Head area.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• GoBoat Australia: Self-drive boat hire operator in Australia (Sydney, Melbourne). Adjacent boating-access model that targets similar casual/recreational boaters but as a self-hire alternative to ownership or berthing.
• Freedom Boat Club: Global boat-sharing club (400+ locations) of which Empire Marina hosts the Sydney North franchise. Partial overlap: complementary revenue stream for Empire but also a competing boating-access model.

Direct peers

• d'Albora Marinas: Australia's largest chain of premium marinas, with multiple Sydney Harbour locations (Mosman, Cabarita, Rushcutters Bay, Rose Bay, etc.). Closest direct competitor to Empire Marina's Sydney berth holder target market.
• Sydney Superyacht Marina: Premium Sydney Harbour marina catering to large vessels at Rozelle Bay. Competes for the same upper-tier recreational berth customer that Empire Marina targets with its 8m-30m offering.
• Sanctuary Cove Marina: Luxury integrated marina within the Sanctuary Cove resort precinct on the Gold Coast. Comparable premium full-service positioning with berths, boat brokerage, restaurants, and resort amenities.
• Empire Marina Lake Macquarie: Sister property under the Empire Marinas Group at Lake Macquarie, NSW. Closest direct peer - same operator, same full-service marina model (berths, hardstand, bistro, broker) in a different NSW waterway.
• Rivergate Marina & Shipyard: Brisbane-based full-service marina and shipyard with berths, refit hardstand, and concierge services. Closest analog in terms of integrated berths + maintenance hardstand offering in Australia.
• Gold Coast City Marina: Large Australian full-service marina and shipyard on the Gold Coast with berths, hardstand, refit services, and on-site marine businesses. Comparable scope to Empire Marina but at much larger scale.
• Akuna Bay Marina: Marina located within Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park near Bobbin Head, serving the same Broken Bay/Pittwater boating community. Most proximate geographic competitor for berth holders and casual moorings.
• Cabarita Point Marina: Sydney waterfront marina on the Parramatta River operated as part of the d'Albora network. Competes directly for Sydney recreational boaters shopping for sheltered berths.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/empiremarinabobbinhead
• Instagraminstagram.com/empiremarinas
• Xx.com/empiremarina
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/empire-marinas

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Empire Marina Bobbin Head