City Lands Luxury Cruisers
Newcastle Herald
Tuesday May 12, 1998
A FORMER Western Australian businessman is planning to build luxury gamefishing boats in Newcastle as part of the State Government's mooted `marine industrial park'.
Up to 100 jobs could be created by the venture, which is expected to be announced by Premier Bob Carr in coming weeks.
Mr Mike Garrett, whose Precision Cruisers Ltd makes top-of-the-market luxury cruisers for the millionaires' market, is hoping to establish a factory somewhere along the Hunter River.
The preferred site is at or near the former Carrington Slipways site at Tomago now owned by Forgacs.
A tight-lipped Mr Garrett declined yesterday to speak about his plans, but industry sources say he has begun bringing hull moulds to Newcastle and recruiting employees for the venture.
The State Government-owned Hunter Economic Development Corporation (HEDC), which is dealing with Mr Garrett, also declined to comment, with general manager Dr Beverly Firth describing the project as `commercial in confidence'.
Word of Mr Garrett's move to the east coast has spread quickly through boating circles.
One of Precision Cruisers' vessels, a Precision 70 Sportfish called Lady Janine, stunned observers during the gamefishing season at Nelson Bay during February when it was moored for the month at d'Albora Marina.
A marina spokesman commenting on the $2.65million vessel said the Bay hadn't seen `anything like that since the days of Greg Norman's boats'.
The Sydney Morning Herald's boating writer raved: `At last, an Australian boat that can cut it in the luxury marinas of the world.'
The paper went on to describe the 22-metre Lady Janine's solid Jarrah flooring, West African mahogany furniture ? including a dining table for six ? and its antique cabinet full of `priceless crystal glasses, genuine antique crystal decanters from old trading ships, and Wedgwood china', all `held in place by magnets so they won't topple and break while pounding out to sea'.
Based on a naval vessel built for `high-speed patrol work', the Precision 70 has a top speed of 33 knots, powered by twin 1450hp V-16 Detroit diesels.
News of the State Government's interest in reviving boatbuilding in Newcastle emerged last year when the former HEDC head Mr Ben Chard confirmed the Government had looked at Carrington Slipways before it was bought by Forgacs.
In February, his successor, Dr Firth, confirmed plans were under way for a `multi-million dollar marine engineering park' in an area near the former Carrington Slipways site.
Forgacs joint managing director Mr Peter Burgess said yesterday that he knew nothing of the luxury boatbuilding plans, but confirmed the company was prepared to lease sections of its Tomago yard `from time to time'.
Carrington Slipways has had a chequered history since the Laverick family lost it in bankruptcy earlier this decade. Editorial, Page 8
© 1998 Newcastle Herald