Boating worth $8.65bn to Australia in 2018-19
Boating Industry Association figures show we added 14,000 new vessel registrations last financial yearBoating was worth $8.65 billion to the Australian economy last financial year, figures released by the Boating Industry Association have revealed.
The numbers released by the industry group for the 2018-19 financial year show that more than 910,000 registered boats are now spread throughout Australia, with more than 2.0 million boat owners adding another 14,000 new registrations over the 12-month period.
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Queensland remains the state with the highest level of boat ownership, with 264,000 registered craft and 900,000 people – about one in every 100 – holding a boat licence.
Sydney is placed second with 520,000 registered boats, and just 235,000 residents holding a marine licence. Victoria, meanwhile, has 193,000 registered boats and 418,000 marine licence holders spread throughout the state.
No figures are available for the Northern Territory, which does not require marine licences or boat registrations, but South Australia had 289,000 marine licence holders and 59,000 boats, and Tasmania 65,000 marine licence holders and just 31,000 boats.
The BIA said powered watercraft – jet skis – remain the fastest-growing part of the powered vessel segment, with 76,000 now registered throughout Australia.
The numbers also hint at what the BIA says is strong growth in the non-powered sector, which includes canoes and kayaks.
Steady, healthy growth
The BIA said the boating industry in Australia had seen “steady, healthy growth” over the last four years, a stark contrast to the malaise that swept the industry between 2013-15.
Throughout Australia, the BIA said the recreational, superyacht and commercial boating industry directly employed 28,235 people across more than 2250 businesses, with a further 14,500 contractors swelling the ranks.
“Companies in the marine industry are predominantly smaller businesses typically employing less than five people, but with a number of larger companies in the boatbuilding and professional sectors,” the BIA said.
The largest sector of Australia’s boating industry last financial year was new boat sales, accounting for 15 per cent of its turnover. Up there with it were mooring and marina services (14 per cent), yard services (13 per cent) and tourism (12 per cent).
Used boat sales accounted for 10 per cent of the industry’s turnover followed by retail/wholesale (9 per cent) and boatbuilding (8 per cent).
Engine sales contributed just 7 per cent, and manufacturing 5 per cent.
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