The year 2019 saw the union of two Whitsunday icons: Abell Point Marina and neighbouring boutique hotel, Coral Sea Resort. Australian owner, Paul Darrouzet, rebranded the newly merged entity as Coral Sea Marina Resort, marking a new chapter in Airlie Beach’s landscape and a long-term vision to create a destination mainland resort in the heart of the Whitsundays.
With 2020 already underway, the hotel has completed Stage 1 of an exciting development which saw upgrades to the lobby, reception and entrance plaza. The iconic ocean views are now complemented further by an all-new restaurant, The Rocks – Restaurant, Bar & Pool Club, fitness space, pool area, and beach. Stage 2 of the hotel upgrade will focus on refreshing the hotel rooms.
In addition to the exciting developments at the hotel, the marina itself continues to move from strength to strength. The most recent accomplishment was being awarded the Gold Anchor Platinum Accreditation.
The marina is the first in Queensland to be accredited at this level and it sets a new Australian industry benchmark as a globally significant destination marina. This accolade comes hot off the heels of attaining the coveted Australian Marina of the Year 2019/2020, in association with Marina Industries Association, for the second consecutive term, which is testament to the quality of facilities and dedicated service that the marina offers boaties who come to experience the wonders of the Whitsundays.
The marina looks forward to the year ahead, with many exciting events on the horizon. Coral Sea Marina Resort will host the Australian Superyacht Rendezvous in October, welcoming superyacht enthusiasts and crew, while celebrating the Australian superyacht industry. The annual SICYC Rendezvous is set to be held in Airlie Beach this year, where Coral Sea Marina are delighted to host the Hands Across The Blue in support of Prostate Cancer Awareness. The marina is also set to welcome back again this year the 2020 Lagoon Escapade. Through these many events, Coral Sea Marina Resort hopes to showcase the Whitsunday region as a must-see destination.
Coral Sea Marina Resort is dedicated to providing not only a premium quality of service and setting, but a vibrant experience as an enticing resort destination. Its compelling new vision is to provide guests with experiences to love, enjoy and remember. With this in mind, many new initiatives have been introduced, from an eclectic What’s On calendar of events throughout the resort (including fitness classes, art classes, live music and more),
to the opening of the 2.5-hectare outdoor garden space, the Coral Sea Gardens. The Gardens are set to become a unique addition of the resort village for guests to enjoy, as well as becoming centre stage for many exciting regional events.
One particular initiative of Coral Sea Marina Resort is the newly introduced Coral Sea Academy. The Academy provides a series of educational and innovative events that are designed to educate guests, locals and visitors to the Whitsundays about the environment, the Great Barrier Reef, better boating and sustainability. To date, events have included a ‘Safety on Water’ expo, workshops on coral reef research, environmental seminars hosted by Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef, the Flying Scientists and Eco Barge Clean Seas, as well as “Trash to Treasure” art workshops using marine debris for materials. The Coral Sea Academy was born through the desire to provide an experiential travel encounter that educates, engages and immerses guests with meaningful themes that are relevant to the tropical Whitsunday region.
Coral Sea Marina Resort has also made significant steps in their daily operations to work towards preserving our marine environment. The marina signed a pledge in 2019 with the Marina Industries Association to fully eliminate single-use plastics from within the marina by 2025. Working towards this, reusable shopping bags are provided to marina guests upon check in, plastic straws have been eliminated from all food and beverage outlets, plastic water bottles have been replaced with aluminium canned water at the hotel and in many restaurants, as well as the installation of multiple hydration stations throughout the marina resort to reduce the need for the purchase of single-use plastic bottles. In the spirit of the Whitsundays, the marina resort is keen to promote bigger adventures with smaller ‘footprints’.
Searching for a weekend get-away where you can relax and unwind? Try the boutique Coral Sea Resort Hotel. Searching for the next cruising destination? Stay a while at Coral Sea Marina while holidaying in one of the most pristine cruising grounds on the east coast of Australia: the Whitsundays region.
www.csmr.com.au
Published in the April-July 2020 print edition.
