It is now one month until Marinas26 takes place from 24-27 May 2026 at the Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast, Queensland. Around 400 marina owners, operators and suppliers from Australia and overseas are expected to attend, with discussions focused on technology, sustainability and changes in marina operations.

The event begins on Sunday, 24 May, with a lunch and in-person meeting for certified members, followed by a welcome function and networking session. A poolside cocktail gathering will close the day.

The main conference and exhibition run on 25 and 26 May, with 56 booths covering marina design, construction, infrastructure, technology, sustainability and services.

25 May 2026 - Conference day 1

The programme will open with representatives from the Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre, followed by opening remarks from conference chair Karen Baldwin and a welcome address from Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate.

Social researcher and demographer Geoff Brailey will present on demographic changes in boating and how demand may develop through to 2035. NAB senior economist Taylor Nugent will provide an economic outlook, covering interest rates, consumer spending, housing trends and business investment across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.

Andrew Chapman AM CMM, president of the Marina Industries Association (MIA), will present findings from the 2025 Health of the Marina Industry Survey, which outlines occupancy, revenue, workforce trends and capital investment across Australia and New Zealand. Suzanne Davies, CEO of the MIA, will also provide an update on the association’s recent performance, activities and programmes.

A panel chaired by James Burbury will address ageing marina assets, with contributions from Brett James of Southport Yacht Club, Jayson McDonald CMM of Royal Motor Yacht Club Broken Bay and Julien Pouteau of d’Albora Marinas.

Concurrent sessions include a discussion on marina development in the Middle East, chaired by Farrokh Golchin of StratConn LLC, and a maintenance and asset management session chaired by Les Binkin CMM, with contributions from Martin Silk of d’Albora Marinas, Dave Whimp of Pine Harbour Marina and Bruce Birtwistle CMP of Bellingham Marine Australia.

The day concludes with a keynote session on artificial intelligence and emerging technologies by futurist Gihan Perera, addressing their influence on marina and boatyard operations.

26 May 2026 - Conference day 2

The programme continues with a marina panel chaired by Karen Baldwin, which will examine how government, developers, operators and boaters influence marina design, planning decisions and long-term viability.

A session on artificial intelligence in marina operations will be chaired by Gihan Perera, with contributions from James Roy CMM of ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove, Tevž Grögl of Marina Master and Kristina Agustin of Southern Sky AI. The discussion will focus on applications such as customer experience, facility management and predictive maintenance.

David Good of Superyacht Australia will present on superyacht readiness, while Lyndon Turner of Nautilus Marine Insurance and Tim Smith of McInnes Wilson Lawyers will address insurance and legal considerations affecting marina operators.

An Innovators and Start-Up Showcase, chaired by Andrew Hutchinson, will feature selected finalists presenting technologies and services for marina operations. Delegates will vote on the concept considered to have the strongest commercial potential, with the result announced during the evening programme.

The conference will close with a keynote address from maritime figure and marina owner Mark Richards, with a focus on leadership and industry experience.

27 May 2026 - Study tours

Delegates may join study tours following the conference. A Gold Coast day tour includes visits to Mantaray Marina & Residences, Main Beach Superyacht Marina, Marina Mirage, The Boat Works, AkzoNobel’s marine coatings facility and Gold Coast City Marina & Shipyard.

A separate Whitsundays programme for limited participants will run between 27-29 May and includes visits to Coral Sea Marina, Hayman Island Marina and Hamilton Island Marina.