Pair keen to float all boating options
MARINE tourism specialists Pat McLoughlin and Nikki Giumelli believe the combination of three businesses at a high-profile site at the Marlin Marina in Cairns will prove to be their making.
The couple have invested $350,000 in Cairns Boat Hire, which also has become home to their Bad Fishy jet boat thrill ride operation and the Queensland and Cairns branch of Australian Superyacht Services.
They are busy renovating the boat hire site, which is one of the longest serving nautical tourism businesses in Cairns, established 40 years ago.
The three-pronged business will focus on the jet boat rides, pontoon boat and tinny selfdrive fishing and sightseeing hire and a superyacht agency.
Mr McLoughlin said being at the entrance to A finger was strategically important.
“We hope to draw people wandering past looking for something to do,’’ he said.
Ms Giumelli said the couple took over Cairns Boat Hire a week ago and shifted Bad Fishy straight away.
“We were hidden at the end of A finger. Bad Fishy will be the drawcard,” she said.
Ms Giumelli said the jet boat rides were popular during school holidays and weekends and growth was promising.
“We have more than doubled since September last year,” she said.
Mr McLoughlin said Bad Fishy had a five-star TripAdvisor rating, which was the aim for the boat hire business.
“We want to emphasis that it is under new management,” he said.
“We are renovating the office. The hire boats will be refurbished over the coming months and restored to pristine condition.
“Already there are new outboard motors and propellers.”
The couple have four casual staff but see the need to add more soon.
Mr McLoughlin said they would be tapping into the expanding superyacht sector.
“The Cairns Boat Hire base will provide an onside office to cater for the demand from this growing superyacht industry, a very lucrative industry for Cairns,” he said.
Mr McLoughlin said the business had looked after the billionaire European owner and crew of the $65 million Triple 8 when it was based at the marina.
“It was here for 20 days and they spent $300,000 on food, fuels, oils. We replenished the whole vessel. They spent a lot of money,” he said.
“We arranged for the owner, who wanted to go camping in the Outback, to go out to the Walsh River near Dimbulah. It was their first time here and now they are sailing around Australia.”
The couple, who established jet boat operations in Sydney Harbour as well as Darwin, Singapore, the Gold Coast and Vanuatu, bring more than 20 years of experience in marine tourism to Cairns.
They arrived in the tropical north four years ago and have no plans to move.
They have three children – Grace, 10, Finn, 8, and James, 6, and are “committed” to the region.
“We are very excited to further invest in Cairns and are incredibly thankful for the support that the Cairns business community and tourism industry has shown to us.”