Hunts Marine | 80 years on the water

Yamaha Marine Dealer Celebration Profile

The company began in 1946 at Blakehurst, when Edwin Hunt, an engineer and well-known game fishing enthusiast, built a showroom and started selling wooden launches and plywood dinghies. From day one it was more than retail. Edwin engineering background allowed him to repair marine engines, manufacture boating hardware and back whatever he sold with hands-on know-how.

What made Hunts different in those early years was its business model. Edwin pioneered the idea of holding standard designs in stock so customers could take delivery without the long built-to-order waits that were common at the time. In post-war Australia, where demand was strong but supply chains were often tight, that approach mattered and made a huge difference.

“Edwin’s mindset was simple,” says current dealer principal and third generation owner, Jon Hunt. “If someone wanted to go boating, he’d do whatever it took to make sure they could. He was an engineer, so problem-solving was just part of the day.”

By 1951, Edwin had been joined by his two sons, Ted and Peter, and within a few years the family business had the structure to grow with the market. In 1953 the trading name shifted from The Marine Centre to Hunts Marine Centre.

The 1950s were a period of steady expansion. Hunts Marine worked with multiple contracted boatbuilding teams to meet demand for timber launches, plywood and aluminium dinghies and even canoes. Hunts Marine navigated that environment by focusing on practical boats, reliable service and the parts and repairs that kept customers boating.

As the market accelerated, Hunts also started extending its footprint. In 1959 a branch opened at Fairy Meadow in Wollongong, an early sign that the business understood the value of being close to customers and waterways.

The 1960s brought momentum and major change. Hunts Marine responded by expanding facilities at Blakehurst, purchasing adjoining property for more showroom and service space. At the same time the materials revolution gathered pace. Timber boats began to fall away as aluminium and fibreglass gained favour, and Hunts secured franchises that aligned with where the market was heading.

The business also built a reputation for being early to the changes that mattered. Hunts became the first Quintrex aluminium boat dealer in Australia in 1955 and later broadened its range as fibreglass brands grew in popularity.

Peter Hunt played a key role in establishing the Boating Industry Association of NSW and was involved in the beginnings of the Sydney Boat Show. Those efforts helped professionalise the industry and created stronger links between manufacturers, dealers and the boating public.

In 1968, Hunts Marine made another move that would become a defining feature of the modern dealership model. After acquiring additional space beside the Blakehurst showroom, it opened what is described as Australia’s first Boating Accessory Supermarket. Boat owners need hardware, safety gear, spares, advice and the ability to solve problems quickly. That same year, a property was purchased in West Street, Carlton, and a purpose-built service facility was established, strengthening Hunts’ workshop and spare parts capability.

“Boats have always been about the whole experience, not just the sale,” Jon says. “If you can supply the gear, service it well and support people properly, they get more enjoyment out of it. That’s what keeps them coming back.”

Over the decades Hunts Marine continued to adjust through market cycles, including the tougher early 1980s. As conditions improved, the company expanded its workshop and spare parts operation and kept building out its service offering to match what customers were running and maintaining.

Jon Hunt joined the business in 1994, stepping into an operation with a clear reputation. As the trailer boat market recovered strongly in the mid-1990s, Hunts strengthened its ability to offer complete rigging solutions and took on Yamaha outboards in 1995 as part of its push to deliver high-quality packages and long-term support.

“We’ve worked with Yamaha for a long time now,” Jon says. “The value is in the consistency. When you are rigging boats for families and serious fishers alike, you need partners you can rely on, and that stability helps us do our job.”

With Jon at the helm, the Blakehurst showroom underwent a significant rebuild with improved office space, better customer access and more room to display boats and accessories. In 2006 Hunts Marine acquired a Quintrex dealership in Wollongong, then in 2010 opened a new store at Batemans Bay with a full accessories range and service facility. Both regional sites later moved into larger premises to meet demand, reflecting the strength of boating along the South Coast.

The company estimates it has delivered more than 40,000 boats since 1946, and today sells hundreds of boats a year from Sydney alone. For Jon, the numbers matter, but the measure of success is simpler. “If someone goes to work on Monday and says they had a great weekend boating, that’s the win,” he says. “Everything we do is meant to make that easier.”

In 2026, Hunts Marine will mark 80 years with a new logo and celebrations running throughout the year. The boating world has changed almost beyond recognition since Edwin Hunt opened his first showroom, but the business has kept its core strength: practical service, a willingness to evolve, and an ongoing focus on helping Australians spend more time on the water.