Bluewater Marina Cairns in a nutshell...

Bluewater Marina is probably the Marina we call home. We have stayed her for quite a few months, on and off. It is a safe and quiet marina with a relatively large live-a-board community and a good harbour for the FNQ cyclone season. Its the cheapest Marina in Cairns ….

In our opinion:

 4/5

PROS

Cheapest Marina in Cairns. Book in ahead of time.
You are next to Bluewater bar and grill which closes its terrace at 10pm. Great for a meal/drink. They also have a cafe for your morning coffee.
Dog friendly Marina. Your pooch will find a friend here.
Great walking track up Earl Hill nearby.
Safe in cyclone season
Great ablution facilities with combined private toilet/shower space. Two washing machines, two dryers
Close to the car park and bus stop. Buses leave regularly.
Relaxed management style

CONS

Navigate the inlet which could be affected by the tide. We are a 2m draft.
Not close to anything – you will need to bus or Uber it to Smithfield for shopping (10 minutes by car). No courtesy car, but what do you expect for the price.
Closest chandlery in Cairns is 30 minutes by car and you cant really bus it there easily
Whilst it is safe in cyclone season, it can get very hot. You will need aircon.

Review

Location

Bluewater Marina is located about 10 NMs north of Cairns and just past Yorkeys Knob Marina. It is a 10 minute bus ride to Smithfield shopping centre, which has just about everything for resupplying your vessel. BCF is across the highway from Smithfield shopping centre to refill your gas or there is Bunnings. You may need to hire a car if you stay here and need to get some jobs done. It is situated at the end of Trinity Park inlet in Trinity Park. The Marina office is on site (a floating office) and someone is there during the day.

In essence, Bluewater Marina is an extension of a residential development where most dwellings have their own mooring. Bluewater Marina is well protected from most of nature’s woes. It is cyclone rated so a good harbour for those summer months in FNQ (but it does get very hot).

Earl Hill walking tracks are nearby, really pretty walks and dog friendly (on leash). Half Moon Bay is also nearby, but not a patrolled beach and there are crocs, so not great for swimming.

First Impression

It is quiet and calm and perfect for some respite if you have been gunning it in 35-knot winds for the last few weeks. It is a stone’s throw away from Bluewater Bar & Grill which servers modern Australian cuisine at a reasonable price. They have a large terrace overlooking the marina but this closes at 10pm sharp so the noise stops there.

Facilities

Bluewater Marina’s facilities are well maintained and clean. It has a dedicated ablution block consisting of 3 separate lockable spaces that contain both a toilet and a shower. In a separate area, you find 2 washing and drying machines. The marina management will provide you with a key that will give access to your berth as well as the facilities.

We found the toilets and showers clean and functional and expect a torrent of water from the showers.