General News
3 October, 2025
Living life of Riley in tropics
THE largest superyacht to enter Australian waters, MY Octopus, has slipped into the Marlin Marina, cementing the city’s growing reputation as a global superyacht hub.
Stretching 126m, it cost $200m to build in 2003 and is famed for both its luxury and capability.
Crew revealed that on an “economical speed,” MY Octopus can travel up to 12,000 nautical miles, nearly half the circumference of the globe, on a single tank holding about one million litres of fuel.
At Port Douglas, 37m Heesen superyacht Lumir, which costs up to $140,000 a week to charter, is available for private hire from 1 October to November 15.
Among the standout features on Octopus is an internal “marina” which houses a 16m tender, accessible by opening the yacht’s side directly to the sea.
While the yacht itself remains tightly guarded, the economic impact of such a visit ripples well beyond the docks.
With up to 50 crew members onboard at a time, local businesses are already reaping benefits from their first nights out in Cairns. “That’s a fantastic opportunity for our hospitality industry,” said Ports North operations general manager Ash Sinha.
If MY Octopus remains for a month, as similar vessels sometimes do, the visit could inject millions into the local economy.
Refuelling alone represents around $1 million in spending, with flow-on effects across fuel suppliers, marine services and their employees.
“The knock-on effect is massive,” Mr Sinha said.
“These guys travel all over the world and the experience they’ve had here will be talked about wherever they go.”
Beyond the immediate boost, the arrival is another milestone in Cairns’ 25-year history of hosting superyachts.
“It’s that diversity that makes Cairns unique,” Mr Sinha said.
“We can handle it all and the community benefits across the board.”
The Octopus combines extraordinary exploration capabilities with ultimate luxury.
The vessel features an ice-class hull, twin helicopter pads, a dive centre with hyperbaric chamber, cinema, library, spa, and even a Hammam, and accommodates 12 guests in 13 cabins.
She also carries an impressive array of tenders, ROVs and toys for adventure. Initially built for the late Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, her reputation for both research and recreation make her one of the most distinctive superyachts ever built.
Another superyacht has also spent time in Cairns. The 118m, $250m Liva O spent a few weeks in Cairns last month.
As the largest superyacht for charter in Port Douglas, Lumir has accommodation for up to 10 overnight guests across four ensuite cabins and capacity for 55 guests on day charters.
