Rivergate Marina & Shipyard has appointed well-known sailing identity and founder of the Down Under Rally, John Hembrow to the role of Weekend Dockmaster.
John will be overseeing arrivals at the marina on weekends, fielding enquiries, assisting customers and visiting vessels with berthing, managing the 24-hour fuel pump and security gate, greeting visitors and hosting tours of the facility.
“I’ll be walking the marina arms and making sure everything’s shipshape, and handling any enquiries from our customers,” he stated.
After 15 years of living full-time on board their yacht, Songlines and cruising the South Pacific, John and his wife Leanne have settled on are enjoying being back in Brisbane and living ashore.
“Whenever I see a storm coming in, I remind myself I don’t need to panic or spring into action,” said John. “That’s quite a relief after 15 years at sea!”
Leanne, who ran Yoga4Yachties focusing on well-being and exercise for liveaboard sailors, has established her business shoreside continues teaching yoga and reformer Pilates.
John and Leanne founded and operated the Down Under Rally from 2015 to 2023, providing support and guidance to hundreds of cruising yacht owners sailing between Australia and the South Pacific.
As well as offering opportunities for Australian sailors to voyage to the South Pacific from Australia with the Go East Rally and NC2V Rally and, more recently, within Australia as part of the Beyond The Barrier Rally, the Down Under Rally’s popular Go West Rally encouraged international cruisers to sail to Australia from the South Pacific and spend cyclone season enjoying the Australian hospitality whilst cruising the East Coast of Australia. Most Go West Rally participants also take this opportunity to carry out maintenance to their vessels in readiness for their onward voyages into Asia and beyond.
In November 2023, Island Cruising NZ, helmed by accomplished sailor, Viki Moore, acquired Down Under Rally.
Andrew Cannon, General Manager at Rivergate Marina & Shipyard welcomed John to the team, saying, “John is a real asset to Rivergate and his breadth and depth of knowledge are appreciated by our team and visiting yachties.”
Speaking of his impressions of Rivergate so far, John said he was thrilled to join such a cohesive and experienced team. “Rivergate has been Rally Partner and supported our business over the years. They have all been so welcoming.
“This role is a great way for me to apply my knowledge and skills and keep in touch with the international cruising community. Rivergate is a Port of Entry for Customs and Quarantine clearance in Brisbane, and I am proud to be able to offer my services to customers as an unofficial ambassador for the cruising grounds of Australia.”
