Whitianga Marina has been named both Marina of the Year and Boatyard of the Year in the 2026 New Zealand Marina Operators Association Awards, which recognise excellence in operations, customer service, environmental management, staff development and community contribution.
Guest judge Callum Gillespie, executive director of NZ Marine, said Whitianga stood out for its strong management, community focus, team culture and recent investment in a new fuel dock and seawall.
A certified Clean Marina, Whitianga has 231 berths for vessels from 10 to 24 metres and offers easy access to Mercury Bay and the Mercury Islands. Judges also praised its boatyard, which includes 18 cradle stands, two enclosed work sheds and a 35-tonne travel lift.
Marsden Cove Marina received Highly Commended recognition in both categories, while Auckland’s Silo Marina earned a Specialist Distinction Award for its role serving the superyacht sector.
Marine biosecurity system wins Outstanding Initiative
Commercial Dive Specialists won the Outstanding Initiative Award for Rehabitat, a system designed to combat invasive exotic caulerpa. Developed by Brook McRae and his team, it uses a containment chamber and targeted treatment to neutralise the pest while minimising environmental impact.
The technology has been developed through extensive trials in partnership with government agencies, iwi, councils and researchers. It also has potential applications in marinas for detecting and treating marine pests.
Judges also recognised Seaview Marina’s in-house operations app, which streamlines safety and compliance, and highly commended Westhaven Marina’s cadet programme for helping train future marina professionals.
Brett Colby honoured for industry leadership
Brett Colby of Half Moon Bay Marina received the Outstanding Individual Contribution to the Industry Award for more than 30 years of service.
Since joining the marina in 1994, Colby has become a leading expert in Marine Travelifts, helping build and commission machines across New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific. He also helped professionalise travel lift operations through training programmes, competency assessments and operator courses.
Colby played a key role in establishing the New Zealand Clean Marina Programme and has worked extensively with councils and marina operators to improve environmental practices, including stormwater management and marine pest prevention.
The award recognises his long-standing contribution to the marina and boatyard sector through leadership, expertise and industry mentorship.
