The Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show (SCIBS) returns to Queensland’s Gold Coast for its 37th edition, running Thursday 21 to Sunday 24 May 2026 at the newly expanded 346-berth Sanctuary Cove Marina precinct at Hope Island. The show draws 300-plus exhibitors and 800-plus vessels to Australia’s largest boating and marine showcase, with over 45,000 visitors expected across the four days. Adult tickets are AUD $42.00; children under 16 enter free.
What You Will See
The show spans on-water displays across the marina and dedicated on-land precincts for sports, leisure, fishing and watersports, alongside a lifestyle precinct with boutique shopping, premium dining and live entertainment at the Sanctuary Cove Marine Village. More than 2,500 marine products and accessories are exhibited across the four days.
Several builders are premiering new models exclusively at Sanctuary Cove in 2026, covering outright world premieres, Asia Pacific debuts and Australian firsts. Princess Yachts, BENETEAU, Sunseeker, Riviera, Maritimo, Horizon, De Antonio and Whitehaven are among the major brands in attendance.
World Premieres and Debuts
Riviera headlines the premiere programme with the global debut of its Platinum Edition 6200 Sport Yacht, alongside the Australian boat show premiere of the 5600 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition. Whitehaven presents three worldwide premieres: the Harbour Classic 52, the 6000 Flybridge and the 6500 Flybridge.
BENETEAU brings Asia-Pacific premieres of the Antares 12 Coupé and Oceanis 52. Saxdor debuts the 400 GTS in an Australian premiere. Cantiere Mimì makes its Australian debut via dealer Boatology, presenting four vessels including the 11 Cabin and 13.5 Cabin.
EYachts brings Australian premieres of the Axopar 38 Cross Cabin, Axopar 45 Cross Top and Sirena 58, with Queensland debuts of the Axopar 45 Cross Cabin and Axopar 29 CCX. Whitehaven also presents Asia Pacific premieres of the Aquila 46 Yacht and Aquila 50 Sail, alongside an Australian premiere of the Aquila 42 Coupe.
Princess Yachts will display seven vessels, including the all-new F65 motor yacht and the award-winning F58. Sunseeker attends via exclusive Asia Pacific distributor DCH Marine, showing the Superhawk 55 high-performance day boat and the flybridge 76 Yacht.
On Land
Sports, Leisure and Fishing precincts run alongside the on-water displays. Brands on the land circuit include Jobe Watersports, Surf Coast Marine, Grand Boats, Floatables, Suzuki, Penske, Nautique Central, Northside Marine, JSW Powersports and Sea Legs, covering watersports equipment, powered watercraft and marine accessories.
Show Programme
Fishing content runs from 10:00am to 3:30pm across all four days, with live casting demonstrations, fishing masterclasses, Catch ‘n’ Cook sessions, fishing showdowns and live weigh-ins split between three dedicated areas.
The Main Stage hosts Catch ‘n’ Cook live cooking demonstrations with Paul “Burty” Burt, casting clinics and Garmin technology sessions. At the Berkley Supertank, fishing expert Michael “Cookie” Cooke presents live demonstrations inside a 12-metre tank, covering techniques for anglers at all experience levels.
Live Bream Shoot Out
SCIBS’s annual on-water fishing competition, presented by Anaconda, returns to the Marina with a prize pool of over AUD $10,000 in cash and prizes. Spectators can watch from the water’s edge throughout.
Lagoon Beach Club
The Lagoon Beach Club operates Thursday 21 to Saturday 23 May inside the Veuve Clicquot Sun Club, with three ticketed hospitality packages. The Brunch session (9:30am to noon) covers free-flowing Veuve Clicquot, premium beverages and canapés alongside dedicated beauty stations. The Beats and Bites afternoon session (12:30pm to 4:30pm) adds live entertainment. The full-day package runs 9:30am to 4:30pm and includes bottomless champagne, micro massages, hair and make-up stations and a Bloody Mary fountain by Mr. Consistent. All packages include show entry.
Daily Schedule
All times are Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST, UTC+10). Programme is subject to change; confirm the latest at sanctuarycoveboatshow.com.au. Your local time converts automatically below.
| Session | Local time (AEST, UTC+10) | Your time |
|---|---|---|
| All four days – Thursday 21 to Sunday 24 May | ||
| Gates open | 9:00 AM | – |
| Fishing shows begin – Main Stage, Supertank, Marina | 10:00 AM | – |
| Fishing programme ends | 3:30 PM | – |
| Gates close | 5:00 PM | – |
| Lagoon Beach Club – Thursday 21 to Saturday 23 May only | ||
| Brunch at Lagoon Beach Club | 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM | – |
| Beats and Bites at Lagoon Beach Club | 12:30 PM – 4:30 PM | – |
Times shown in AEST (UTC+10). Your local time is calculated automatically above.
Getting There
Sanctuary Cove Marina is at Hope Island on Queensland’s Gold Coast, around 45 minutes south of Brisbane via the M1. Free Park ‘n’ Ride services operate from Movie World for northbound visitors and Dreamworld for those approaching from the south. Ride-share and taxi drop-off zones are available on site. Helicopter transfers run via Gold Coast Helitours, and water transfer options are also available.
Tickets
Final-release tickets are on sale now via sanctuarycoveboatshow.com.au. All prices are in Australian dollars, plus a booking fee.
Adult general admission: $42.00*
Concession general admission: $35.50*
Children under 16: Free
Lagoon Beach Club – Brunch (21–23 May): $129.00* per person
Lagoon Beach Club – Beats and Bites (21–23 May): $199.00* per person
Lagoon Beach Club – Full Day (21–23 May): $290.00* per person ($2,610.00* group of 10)
* Plus booking fee. All Lagoon Beach Club packages include general admission entry.
SCIBS 2026 – At a Glance
Dates: Thursday 21 – Sunday 24 May 2026
Hours: 9:00am – 5:00pm daily
Venue: Sanctuary Cove Marina, Hope Island, Gold Coast, Queensland
Adult admission: AUD $42.00 (plus booking fee)
Children under 16: Free
Exhibitors: 300-plus
Vessels on display: 800-plus
World Boating Day: Saturday 23 May 2026
Organiser: Mulpha Events
Tickets and programme: sanctuarycoveboatshow.com.au
John Moore is the editor of Powerboat News, an independent investigative journalism platform recognised by Google News and documented on Grokipedia for comprehensive powerboat racing coverage.
His involvement in powerboat racing began in 1981 when he competed in his first offshore powerboat race. After a career as a Financial Futures broker in the City of London, specialising in UK interest rate markets, he became actively involved in event organisation and powerboat racing journalism.
He served as Event Director for the Cowes–Torquay–Cowes races between 2010 and 2013. In 2016, he launched Powerboat Racing World, a digital platform providing global powerboat racing news and insights. The following year, he co-founded UKOPRA, helping to rejuvenate offshore racing in the United Kingdom. He sold Powerboat Racing World in late 2021 and remained actively involved with UKOPRA until 2025.
In September 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
