MEET OUR MARINA TEAM

As CEO for Empire Marinas Group, David’s role encompasses responsibility for Empire Marinas’ Lake Macquarie and Bobbin Head marinas including the Waterside Bistro and 3 Freedom Boat Clubs.

 

David has extensive experience in the marina and marina Industries with a career spanning the New Zealand Navy, hospitality, yacht charter, yacht club facilities management and marina management. 

 

He began his working life as a spray painter in a small rural town north of Auckland, New Zealand. In 1989 he joined the Royal New Zealand Navy as a Marine Mechanic and progressed through the ranks leaving as a Leading Marine Mechanic in 1997. Whilst in the New Zealand Defence Force, he was engaged in active service during the 1992 Papua New Guinea / Bougainville peace talks where he received a commendation for actions above and beyond the call of duty. He also received a 2nd commendation for the same during HMNZS Monwhai engagement with rescue missions in the fatal 1994 Auckland to Tonga yacht race.
Moving to Europe, David joined the yacht charter company “Sunsail” where he worked for many years in Greece, Australia and Tonga providing support to yacht fleets, managing teams and creating incredible experiences for their charter clients. 

In 2004 he joined The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club in Newport Sydney as the Facilities Manager,during his 14 years at the Club he project managed and facilitated numerous capital works, including the redevelopment of the old transversing rail slipway into the modern Marine Travel Lift system, marina replacements and Clubhouse renovations. David took up the position of General Manager of Marmong Point Marina and Koolewong Marinas in December of 2018. 

In October 2021 Marmong Point Marina became part of the Empire Marinas Group and was re-branded as Empire Marina Lake Macquarie.
As a Certified Marina Manager endorsed by the Global Marina Institute (GMI) and the Marina Industries Association of Australia (MIA), and as a Director on the Board of the MIA, he enjoys giving back to the industry, through advice and assistance to boat owners, liaising with colleagues and other industry professionals to constantly seek best practice, He also believes in the importance of consulting with local and state government representatives to ensure the marina industry is held in the highest professional standards. 

 

His dedication to the training and mentoring of up and coming industry professionals from organising school trips to marinas, to liaising with TAFE and other educational outlets, is his passion to ensure our industry will remain strong long into the future.

 

David’s leadership style is positive and empowering and he attracts, retains and grows team members well as a result, ensuring that Empire Marinas Group clients receive outstanding yet warm and friendly service. 

Jordan, as a member of the well known Rowell family, has spent a lifetime in boats and marinas with extensive experience as a superyacht

captain, operations and vessel maintenance manager and marina manager in Australia and abroad.

Jordy’s leadership, knowledge, experience and customer service focus is a great asset to the marina and allows him to impart his knowledge to the benefit of those with boats at the marina and those that service them with us. 

 

In fact his life is so infused with boats we thought we might share a little of it with you. 

Between the age of 2 to 16 Jordy lived aboard 3 of his family’s classic timber yachts. 

His family has owned and operated Marinas, Shipyards, and Brokerages in Sydney Australia for the past 3 generations, spanning over 50 years. 

At age 16, Jordy acquired his Australian commercial skippers licence and started working full time at the family marina. He then joined the service yard repairing and delivering boats up and down the east coast of Australia. At age 19 Jordy was given the opportunity to fly to Europe and join the Superyacht industry, as part of this, he moved with his father to the Ferretti Shipyard in Italy for one year to project manage and oversee the build of a new 130ft composite motor yacht. On completion of the build and delivery of the vessel, Jordy flew to the US and became a professional Captain at the tender age of 22 but with, already, an incredible amount of experience under his belt. By age 26 he had logged over 100,000 nautical miles as Captain and oversaw a fleet of 4 yachts, all of which he was responsible for either building or refitting. After a successful career as a Captain and refit specialist around the world, he found his niche was to manage large projects in the marine industry; from superyacht refits and new builds, to designing, managing and running the first floating venue in conjunction with Sunglass Hut and Sony, called “The Island” on Sydney Harbour. During these challenges and projects, he developed a skill and passion for project management as well as managing marinas, making a name for himself within the industry. Jordy was previously managing a marina on the East Coast of Australia before joining us here at Empire Marinas, and now leads his new team with enthusiasm and knowledge, exuding a can do attitude for our clients and team to enjoy. 

Collin commenced his boating career in 2009 at Fenwicks Marina operating travel lifts and slipping boats and since then he has gained an extraordinary amount of experience to become one of the most experienced operators in the industry. His great skills include operating machinery such as a submersible lift, a 40 tonne land transporter and 800 tonne ship lift and of course an abundance of forklifts. Collin has lifted and stood boats such as Wild Oats 11, Ragamuffin and Blackjack.

 

On the motoryacht side he’s lifted them all - from 82ft Sunseekers to 76ft Warrens, from Palm Beach Cruisers to small navy vessels, from government ferries and cruisers to small recreational cruisers and Halvorsens. Collin’s last position was in a commercial shipyard and having moved to Empire Marina Bobbin Head he’s loves working on our clients boats with our 50 tonne travel lift and being part of a more community based environment.

 

Your pride and joy is in very safe hands with Collin and his passion for boats shines through in all that he does.    

Nicky Vaux is a partner and the Business Development Manager at Empire Marinas Group and was previously the Dealer Principal at Empire Boat Sales. She thoroughly enjoys her role working in the boating industry.  After all, working in a marina on the water is rather special. Her Degree in Hospitality and Catering Management meant that creating Waterside Bistro at the marina in January 2020 was an exciting project for her, and her expertise is evident in the recently received Marina Restaurant of the Year in the MIA Awards. Nicky is a passionate advocate for getting more women into boating and into the boating industry with an active following on social media and on her podcast in her pseudonym as The Boat Princess.

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She holds a position as a Director on the Board of the Marina Industries Association, has contributed to publications such as Ocean Magazine, Nautilus Marine Magazine, she has presented at METSTRADE, various marina conferences, and enjoys an extensive network within the industry, both in Australia and overseas. She creates events for at Boat Shows and at the two marinas within the Empire Marinas Group. Her current project is Freedom Boat Club at both marinas which aligns beautifully with her ethos, and approach based on the fundamental belief that nothing feels better than making others feel good and being on the water makes everyone feel good #bluemind.

Visit Nicky on Linkedin. Follow her on Instagram @theboatprincess and subscribe to her podcast.

Michelle has been with Empire Marina Bobbin Head for over 15 years.   She’s seen the growth and development of the marina from the small family-run Halvorsen business, to a world-class, award-winning modern facility, first-hand.  Having joined as a Junior Office Assistant, her dedication, loyalty and hard work saw her quickly progress through the ranks.    If anyone needs to know anything about anything in and around the marina, Michelle is sure to be able to help. She is a fountain of useful information – and her best piece of advice to boaties…check the weather!

Michelle grew up around boats. She has many childhood memories of happy, fun-filled days on her family’s Halvorsen Cruiser 36’ called “Minmay”. These early experiences fuelled her love of boating and she believes time spent on a boat, jet skiing, fishing, swimming, eating and relaxing is undoubtedly the best way to spend a summer’s weekend.   Her favourite destination in Cowan Creek/Pittwater are Jerusalem Bay and Waratah Bay - both beautiful bays where you can go ashore and explore, or just kick back in the sun with a good book, and a chilled glass of wine. Right now she works remotely, but her keen eye on all that is going on at the marina is never lost.

Shirley’s smile is one not to be missed and her memory for names brings so much joy to our clients at Waterside Bistro.

 

Whilst the Bistro has a casual relaxed atmosphere, her career background in 5 star establishments shows her talent and skill running a tight ship that has a team that all love working with her.

 

And as for her amazing coffee skills….well just try them for yourself, we promise you won’t be disappointed.

Jesse is probably the fastest moving chef you have ever seen. Trained in Italy, his pastas are to die for and his Barramundi is legendary.

 

Creating meals with love whilst at speed is his talent and the tastebuds are the ultimate test and they are duly satisfied with his work.

 

From small events in our private room upstairs to our fabulously busy weekends Jesse and his team, including Sous Chef Myles, create much enjoyment for many.