Scarborough Sailing Guide – Marina Access and Newport Marina
A practical Scarborough sailing guide covering harbour entry, marina access, provisioning, fuel, water, and essential yacht services for coastal cruisers in Moreton Bay. Scarborough is one of the most dependable and strategically useful harbours in the northern section of Moreton Bay. It sits at the tip of the Redcliffe Peninsula and provides a sheltered, deep‑water marina environment that remains calm in all weather. For sailing yachts, Scarborough functions as a practical staging point for movements north toward Mooloolaba and the Great Sandy Strait or south toward Brisbane, Manly, and the Gold Coast. The harbour is protected, predictable, and supported by a strong marine‑service network, making it a preferred base for both local and long‑range cruisers.
The marina is positioned inside a well‑engineered breakwater system that eliminates swell and provides secure berthing regardless of conditions outside. The surrounding waters of Moreton Bay are shallow and tide‑affected, but the approach to Scarborough is straightforward when handled with attention to depth and navigation marks. The town itself offers reliable provisioning, easy access to transport, and a calm environment for crews preparing for onward passage.
Scarborough Sailing
Guide - Approach to Scarborough
The approach to Scarborough begins within the sheltered waters of Moreton Bay, where depth, tide, and visibility shape the navigation environment. The coastline is low and suburban, with the marina breakwaters forming the primary visual reference as you close the harbour. The approach channel is well‑marked and dredged, though yachts must remain attentive to the shallow banks that define the bay. In fresh northerlies, the sea state can become choppy across the open water, but the entrance itself remains manageable due to the protection of the breakwaters. The marina entrance is straightforward, with lit leads and lateral markers guiding vessels in from the main channel.
The approach to Scarborough Marina via Scarborough Boat Harbour is well-marked and dredged, with minimum depths around 2.5–3.0 m at LAT (Lowest Astronomical Tide). Yachts drawing more than 2.2 m should plan arrival and departure around mid-to-high tide to avoid any risk of grounding, especially during spring lows.
Entry should be made in daylight whenever possible, as the bay contains numerous beacons, leads, and small‑craft traffic that require visual confirmation, don’t rely on the chart plotter. Once inside the breakwaters, the water becomes immediately calm, and the marina fairways provide predictable handling with plenty of room for manoeuvring.
Scarborough Sailing
Guide - Marina Navigation
Scarborough Marina offers reliable depths for cruising yachts, with most berths and approach channels suitable for vessels up to 2.5 m draft. The entrance channel and basin are dredged and maintained, but tidal awareness is still important for deeper-keel yachts.
Inside the marina, depths are generally 2.5–3.5 m, depending on berth location and recent dredging. Most monohulls and catamarans with standard cruising drafts (1.5–2.2 m) have no issues at any tide. Scarborough Marina accommodates yachts up to 18–20 m LOA, with dedicated berths for multihulls and deeper-keel vessels. Long-term berth holders with 2.4–2.5 m draft report consistent access with tidal planning.
Beacon to Beacon Guide (Moreton Bay series) provides detailed depth contours and navigation aids for the approach.
The marina is well‑maintained, with floating pontoons, wide fairways, and strong protection from wind and swell. Berthing assistance is available, and the facility is accustomed to handling cruising yachts preparing for extended coastal passages. Many cruising yachts use Scarborough as a base for exploring Moreton Bay or as a staging point before heading north toward Mooloolaba or south toward the Brisbane River.
Scarborough Sailing Guide
- Provisioning
Scarborough offers reliable provisioning for cruising yachts, with all essential supplies available within walking or short driving distance of the marina.
Supermarkets: For boats berthed at Scarborough Marina or Newport Marina, the most practical provisioning stop is Woolworths Redcliffe Peninsula Fair, located just 3.5 km south in Kippa-Ring. It’s a full-service supermarket with fresh produce, meat, dairy, frozen goods, and dry stores suitable for multi-day resupply. Adjacent to it is Coles Kippa-Ring, offering similar range and pricing. Basic supplies are available at Scarborough Village IGA, a compact store just 800 m from the marina, useful for quick top-ups. Alcohol provisioning is best handled at Liquorland Kippa-Ring or BWS Redcliffe, both near the major supermarkets.
Markets: For fresh fruit and vegetables, Redcliffe City Markets (held Sundays at Redcliffe Parade) provide seasonal produce, baked goods.
Mechanical and Electrical Repairs
Resource
If you need to expand your knowledge or need an information resource on board, why not get a copy of my book The Marine and Electrical and Electronics Bible 4th Edition. By and for yachties, with everything from batteries and charging, solar and wind, diesel engines and marine electronics and so much more. Your complete systems guide. 650 pages of practical advice. Go to Boat Books for a copy or order through Amazon. By an Australian yachtsman for Australian Yachtsmen and Yachtswomen.
Scarborough Sailing
Guide - Fuel and Water
Fuel is accessible directly at the Scarborough Marina fuel dock. with diesel and petrol supplied in a protected environment that allows safe refuelling in all conditions.
Water is available on all pontoons, and the supply is suitable for tank fills and washdowns.
LPG bottle exchange is available at Caltex Woolworths Kippa-Ring,
The marina precinct includes haul‑out facilities and hard‑stand areas suitable for maintenance and refit work. For specialty items, Moreton Bay Marine Supplies in Clontarf stocks basic chandlery, oils, filters, and fishing gear.
Mechanical
and Electrical Repairs Resource
If you need to expand your knowledge or need an information resource on board, why not get a copy of my book The Marine and Electrical and Electronics Bible 4th Edition. By and for yachties, with everything from batteries and charging, solar and wind, diesel engines and marine electronics and so much more. Your complete systems guide. 650 pages of practical advice. Go to Boat Books for a copy or order through Amazon. By an Australian yachtsman for Australian Yachtsmen and Yachtswomen.
Approaching Newport Marina
The entrance to Newport Marina is a dredged, well‑marked canal channel leading into the Newport Waterways residential system. For most cruising yachts, the approach is straightforward, but depth varies significantly along the channel, and deeper‑draft vessels must plan their arrival around the tide. The channel is narrow, bordered by rock revetments, and has limited room for error, so skippers should treat the approach with the same caution as any confined waterway in Moreton Bay.
Depths and Tidal
Behaviour
The 2020 LAT hydrographic survey shows that the Newport entrance maintains typical depths between 0.8 m and 1.6 m at LAT, with deeper pockets up to 2.0 m in the inner sections. However, there are also isolated shallow patches as low as 0.3–0.5 m at LAT, particularly near the outer bends of the channel. These variations mean that yachts drawing 2.0–2.4 m can transit safely, but only with tidal assistance. On a rising tide, the channel becomes accessible to most cruising monohulls, and at +1.0 m above LAT, the majority of the shallowest points are comfortably covered.
The approach begins at the Fl.G.3s green beacon, which marks the outer entrance. From here, the channel runs straight before curving gently into the canal estate. The dredged path is clearly defined, but the edges shoal rapidly, and the survey data shows several points where depths drop below 0.5 m just outside the marked line. Maintaining the centre of the channel is essential, especially for vessels over 12 m with deeper keels. The channel is sheltered from swell, so conditions are generally calm, but strong south‑easterlies can push water out of the bay and reduce effective depth by several centimetres. Inside the canal system, depths improve, with most of the inner basin showing 1.5–2.5 m at LAT, and more in the marina berths themselves. Once past the entrance dogleg, the water deepens quickly, and the remainder of the transit is low‑stress.
About Newport Marina
Newport Marina is a deep‑water, fully protected marina inside a residential canal system, offering calm conditions, reliable depths, and easy provisioning access for cruising yachts. It’s one of the safest all‑weather berthing options in northern Moreton Bay, especially for long‑term stays. Newport Marina sits at the northern end of Moreton Bay. The marina is tucked inside a sheltered residential estate, meaning no swell, no wash, and excellent protection from all wind directions. This makes it a popular base for liveaboards, long‑term cruisers, and owners who want minimal motion at the dock.
They have 186 berths for yachts and powerboats, suitable for vessels 10–18 m LOA, and designed for deep‑water access for both monohulls and multihulls, secure, gated pontoons with daily dock walks by staff. Although the marina advertises “deep water access,” it does not publish exact depth figures. Local skippers generally report 2.5 m+ at LAT in the approach canal, making it suitable for most cruising yachts. On‑site amenities include power & water to all berths, clean showers & toilets, 24‑hour laundry with dryers and outdoor lines, mini storage sheds, gas & ice available, security gate access, nearby shops (300 m from the marina), bakery, grocery store and a bottle shop. Fuel is not available directly at Newport Marina (closest fuel is Scarborough Marina).
Scarborough Sailing
Guide - Summary
Scarborough is a calm, secure, and highly practical harbour that serves as a key waypoint for yachts moving along the Queensland coast. Its protected entrance, deep‑water marina, reliable provisioning, and strong marine‑service network make it an ideal base for both short‑term and long‑term stays. The approach requires attention to the shallow nature of Moreton Bay, but once inside, the harbour offers predictable handling and everything a cruising yacht requires for rest, repair, and resupply. It is a good location to head off to the Redcliffe Peninsula, Bribie Island, Pumicestone Passage, Deception Bay, Northern Moreton Bay anchorages and for heading towards crossing the South Passage Bar and heading north toward the Sunshine Coast. For boats preparing to continue north toward Mooloolaba or south toward Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Scarborough provides a dependable and well‑equipped foundation. The Scarborough sailing guide is here to inform.