- The Crisafulli Government has opened Queensland's first dedicated Marine Rescue Training Academy on the Gold Coast.
- The new facility will deliver consistent, high-quality training for more than 1,000 marine rescue volunteers.
- The Academy strengthens emergency response capability across Queensland's coastline and supports safer waterways for Queenslanders.
- The Crisafulli Government is making Queensland safer after years of Labor neglect of frontline services.
The Crisafulli Government is making Queensland safer after officially opening the State's first dedicated Marine Rescue Training Academy at Coomera, delivering stronger support for marine rescue volunteers after years of Labor neglect of frontline services.
This state-of-the-art facility will serve as a central hub for Marine Rescue Queensland (MRQ) training operations, delivering consistent, high-quality programs to volunteers as Queensland transitions to one integrated statewide marine rescue service.
It's just one of the ways the Crisafulli Government is delivering a plan for Queensland's future and strengthening maritime emergency response capability across the State.
The Academy is the first facility of its kind dedicated to marine rescue volunteer training in Queensland history.
The facility includes dedicated training rooms, shared office spaces, a secure hardstand area for vessel maintenance and practical exercises, and marina berths for 8, 10 and 14 metre vessels.
Strategically located on the Gold Coast, the Academy provides access to diverse navigational conditions including multiple bar crossings and buoyage systems, allowing volunteers to undertake practical, real-world training in a range of maritime environments.
The opening marks a significant milestone for MRQ, which was established in 2024 to unite the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association and Volunteer Marine Rescue Association Queensland into a single, state-funded marine rescue organisation under the Queensland Police Service.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services Dan Purdie said the Crisafulli Government was making Queensland safer and delivering the infrastructure investment frontline volunteers had been denied under the former Labor Government.
"For too long, Labor took marine rescue volunteers for granted and failed to provide the long-term investment needed to properly support frontline operations," Minister Purdie said.
"After a decade of neglect, the Crisafulli Government is restoring respect for the volunteers who dedicate countless hours to keeping Queenslanders safe on the water.
"This world-class training facility is the first marine rescue volunteer training academy Queensland has ever seen, and it sends a clear message that the Crisafulli Government backs our frontline volunteers."
Queensland Police Deputy Commissioner of Disaster and Emergency Management Chris Stream highlighted the facility's role in keeping Queenslander's safe on the water.
"The brand-new facility will support MRQ in providing world class responses across our coastline," Deputy Commissioner Stream said.
"By equipping volunteers with advanced training and resources, the MRQ Academy enhances the overall capacity to respond to emergencies at sea and on the water, potentially saving more lives and reducing the impact of maritime incidents."
MRQ Chief Officer Tony Wulff said the opening of the facility and the commencement of the MRQ Training Academy marked a historic moment for MRQ, as Queensland continues the transition to one coastal marine rescue organisation.
"This facility will help us deliver consistent and high-quality training as we move into this new stage of transition for the organisation," Chief Officer Wulff said.
"Our volunteer members are our greatest asset, and we are committed to ensuring they have the skills to keep Queenslanders safe on the water."
More than 1,000 active MRQ members operate from locations stretching from Currumbin to the Torres Strait.
The first official training event at the Academy started today, with 20 volunteer trainers travelling from as far north as Port Douglas to undertake advanced training and upskilling over the weekend.
