The tranquillity of The Spit Marina was shattered in the early hours of Friday morning when fire tore through several luxury yachts, ultimately destroying three vessels and causing millions of dollars in damage.
Emergency services were called to the d’Albora-operated marina on the western side of the Spit Bridge at approximately 3.20am after reports of a yacht ablaze. What began as a fire on a single vessel quickly spread to neighbouring boats in the tightly packed berths.
More than 40 firefighters from Fire and Rescue NSW responded to the scene, supported by the Port Authority’s firefighting vessel Girawaa, which can pump up to 16,000 litres of seawater per minute. Despite their swift response, the blaze took around two and a half hours to bring under control and wasn’t fully extinguished until approximately 8am.
Four people were evacuated from the initial burning yacht, with one woman taken to Royal North Shore Hospital in a stable condition after receiving treatment for smoke inhalation from NSW Ambulance paramedics. All four individuals who escaped were examined by paramedics, though thankfully no serious injuries were reported.
Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Adam Dewberry surveyed the damage once crews could safely access the area. Three large yachts were completely consumed by the flames and subsequently sank, whilst a fourth vessel sustained significant damage to its port side but remained afloat.
Local boat owner Andrew Carr, a Melbourne resident who had been returning from a trip to the Whitsundays, described being woken around 4am by police urgently evacuating people from their boats. He noted that one of the vessels which burned had hosted a gathering until about 1am, though he emphasised it wasn’t an out-of-control affair. The owners were asleep when the fire started.
Another boat owner, Brad Cook from Lane Cove, rushed to the marina after seeing news reports, anxious about vessels belonging to friends berthed on the western side. Fortunately, his own boat was moored on the eastern side of the bridge. He received messages from contacts around the world asking him to check on their boats, highlighting the international community that uses the prestigious marina.
The fire occurred in the third and outermost row of wharfs, where some of the most expensive yachts are typically berthed. This location, whilst housing valuable vessels, may have prevented the blaze from spreading further into the marina.
Fire and Rescue NSW worked alongside the NSW Environment Protection Authority to deploy containment booms around the affected area, preventing oils, fuel and other pollutants from spreading into the harbour. EPA staff remained on site throughout the day monitoring the environmental response.
The incident caused significant disruption to the marina’s operations. Charter services were forced to cancel their Friday morning trips, and northbound traffic on the Spit Bridge backed up for about a kilometre as emergency services worked at the scene. A steady stream of people hoping to enjoy the warm weather were turned away from the marina.
David Joyce, d’Albora’s head of marketing, indicated the company’s priority was ensuring safety, supporting authorities with their investigation and clean-up efforts, and restoring normal operations as quickly as possible. Normal marina operations were expected to resume on Friday afternoon.
Police have indicated their preliminary checks suggest the fire was not suspicious, though investigations into the cause remain ongoing.
The Spit Marina markets itself as one of Sydney Harbour’s most prestigious boating precincts, offering luxury berthing, dedicated superyacht berths, 24-hour fuel and world-class facilities. The marina is home to numerous marine services, boat hire businesses, a boat club and waterfront restaurants.
Whilst the financial loss from the fire is estimated to run into the millions, many in the boating community expressed relief that no lives were lost and injuries were minimal. As one boat owner pragmatically observed, boats can be replaced – people cannot.
Published 9-January-2026
