d’Albora Marinas acquires GoBoat Australia
d’Albora Marinas, the marina and hospitality network, has acquired GoBoat Australia, the electric picnic-boat experience company, kickstarting new growth for the leisure marine business.
GoBoat Australia offers electric boat hire in easy-to-drive vessels that don’t require a licence. GoBoat started in Copenhagen in 2014 and was launched in Australia in 2017 by Nick Tyrrell. The company currently operates across six destinations — d’Albora Cabarita Point (NSW), d’Albora The Spit (Mosman, NSW), d’Albora Akuna Bay (NSW), Melbourne (VIC), Gold Coast (QLD), Brisbane (QLD), and Canberra (Kingston) – and has welcomed over 500,000 guests nationwide.
It operates over 73 electric vessels – the Danish-designed picnic boats are currently constructed in Australia from fibreglass made using partially recycled materials, and is powered by a modern electric motor travelling at 3-4 knots. The vessels allow up to eight people on board, and lifejackets are provided.
Tyrrell, Founder & CEO, said:
“GoBoat’s electric boating experience perfectly complements d’Albora’s marina portfolio and will bring eco-friendly and accessible boating experiences to more Australians than ever before. We’re excited to bring GoBoat’s unique sustainable offering into the d’Albora family, unlocking further growth and new opportunities into the future.”
d’Albora is Australia’s largest premium marina and hospitality network, operating from 16 locations, including Akuna Bay and Batemans Bay in New South Wales, East Coast Marina at Manly Harbour in Queensland and Pier 35 in Port Melbourne, Victoria.
The company also offers end-to-end marine services from routine maintenance to major upgrades, including lift and launch services to antifouling, detailing, mechanical repairs and shipwright work, alongside curated member benefits such as reciprocal berthing across the network, fuel markdowns, priority access to events, and tailored support at every marina.
The acquisition represents a major expansion opportunity for GoBoat, strengthening its national footprint and accelerating its mission to make sustainable, self-drive boating accessible to all.
Brad Couper, Managing Director – Principal Investments, Real Estate, MA Financial Group (owners of d’Albora), commented:
“It’s an exciting business opportunity for d’Albora, and we hope it encourages more people to use our marinas and enjoy the Australian boating lifestyle. This partnership increases public access to our marinas and waterways and highlights the benefits of private capital investing in public assets.”