THE Gold Coast Marine Centre - a sprawling $50 million, purpose-built maintenance facility at Coomera - is about to start construction on further marine service building units and manufacturing factories.

The Gold Coast's newest marine facility - situated on the Coomera River, in Australia's renowned Gold Coast Marine Precinct - the centre is being built on 23 acres along Beattie Road.

Marine centre general manager Colin Speairs says the state-of-the-art facility currently has 32 tenants, including Seatech Marine, Bradford Marine, Barnacle Busters and Light Wave Catamarans.

"The entire precinct is state-of-the-art, with the design similar to large-scale, purpose-built facilities in Europe and the US," says Mr Speairs, a former Gold Coast newspaper publisher.

"There are around 20,000 registered vessels on the Gold Coast, all of which require maintenance. One of the benefits of the Marine Centre is that they don't have to take their boat via road, as it's right on the Coomera Water."

Marine manufacturing is a large part of the centre's tenancy, with purpose-built factories from 180sqm to 350sqm, some of them equipped with mezzanines and covered car parking. Overhead gantry cranes with wide openings to allow boatlift access are also a feature.

The centre has berths for up to 30 vessels (up to 25m) in its Marina facility, all serviced with both power and water.

"Planning is also well under way for the construction of a 300-boat dry rack storage facility on the northern boundary of the development," says Mr Speairs.

"Commitment to the environment plays a major part in the Marine Centre's long-term environmental sustainability. The wash-down bays and hardstand areas capture, treat and recycle all waste water for daily re-use.

"Many trade services are available from within the facility, from routine maintenance to complete rebuilds and refits."

Other facilities include a 70-tonne capacity boat lift and specialised multi-hull hydraulic trailers which enable the safe hall of wide-beam catamarans and houseboats.

Gold Coast Marine Centre's company directors are Rodney Longhurst and Riviera boss
Wes Moxey.