Freedom Boat Club, a subsidiary of Brunswick Corporation and already the world's largest boat club, has announced its expansion into Australia.
The company will add three new locations at Bobbin Head, Pittwater, and Lake Macquarie. All three locations will provide direct access to the waterways north of Sydney, already one of the most prized boating locations in the world.
The new locations will add to Freedom's growing Australia portfolio, which also includes Sydney Harbour at d’Albora’s the Spit Marina.
The membership platform has been extremely active in the last four years. Since being purchased by Brunswick in 2019, the company has already more than doubled in size. They made a major European expansion in 2021 with the addition of over 23 new locations, and have added more value to members with the implementation of their BoatClass on-water training program.
The company now has over 40,000 members, 2500 boats in their fleets, and 380 locations across 30 U.S. states, Canada, and Europe.
The new clubs will be franchise locations led by Darren Vaux, Managing Director of Empire Marinas Group, president of ICOMIA and previous president of the Boating Industry Association in Australia, and Nicky Vaux, the Boat Princess and Director of the Marina Industries Association, who have more than 40 combined years of marine industry experience.
“We are thrilled to continue our growth into truly stunning and popular yet accessible boating locations in Australia,” said David Kurczewski, General Manager, Shared Services Asia-Pacific. “We are confident in Darren and Nicky’s ability to expand marine participation in this market with their clear passion for the on-water lifestyle, and commitment to delivering impeccable service. We look forward to our growing our partnership and supporting our members in the region.”
“One of our key drivers is helping people access the boating lifestyle and Freedom Boat Club is a world leader in this regard. With full member training, access to boats in incredible locations and affordable, flexible memberships Freedom really is boating reimagined,” said Nicky Vaux. “As boaters ourselves it’s great for us to be able to share the passion.”
"Freedom Boat Club creates a new, accessible and affordable pathway to the boating lifestyle for seasoned and first-time boaters alike,” said Darren Vaux. What makes the Freedom model so compelling is that members not only have access to the outstanding range of boats available through the Brunswick brands, but also access to fleets of boats in more than 380 locations worldwide.”
The new locations are expected to open in July 2023 with a wide selection of boats, including bowriders, ribs, center consoles and enclosed cabins. Members will also have access to professional training and the ability to explore Broken Bay, Pittwater and Lake Macquarie.
