Holiday Aboard Luxury Charter Yacht AURORA in Sydney & Pittwater

Now is the time to book your Christmas/New Year holiday onboard the 26-metre (84-foot) AURORA, a luxury charter yacht new to the Australian charter fleet and fresh from an extensive refit from the hull-up. The beauty of a charter onboard AURORA is that you can be assured of a totally bespoke experience based on extraordinary food, wine, water sports, destinations and service. 

AURORA is ideal for charter guests seeking fascinating, personally tailored experiences, such as gourmet charters, or enjoy sunset cocktails at Manly Cove while penguins frolic in the shallows.

Suited to up to eight charter guests, AURORA is a one-of-a-kind charter yacht. She has an extraordinary variety of leisure spaces on deck.

The huge hydraulic swim platform is a perfect launch pad for watercraft, catching a fish or, at night, a romantic dinner à deux.

The aft deck provides a covered dining space with bar, while the foredeck is perfect for sun lounging or cocktails as the sun goes down. The flybridge has another dining space, as well as sunpads, barbecue, lounge and cinema screen. 

Inside, AURORA’S bespoke features shine, with furnishings and accessories sourced from around the globe. In the saloon, with lounge, bar, dining, entertainment system and library, the blend of European wallpaper, carpet and curated décor elements will enchant guests. Your wine will be perfectly chilled in the Liebherr wine fridge!

Below deck are the four superbly-appointed cabins. The master comprises king bed, ensuite, walk in robe, lounge and desk with make-up table. The other cabins are a VIP stateroom with private ensuite, plus portside twin and starboard double which can be converted to a twin, with additional bathroom. All bathrooms are kitted out with plush Turkish towels and toiletry products by Australian organic line, Grown Alchemist.

For fun on the water, AURORA has a 10-metre chase boat (optional extra), four-metre tender, a Seadoo GTi 300 max jetski, stand up paddle boards/sea kayaks, two Yamaha Seascooters, donuts, wakeboards, waterskis and snorkelling equipment. AURORA’S four crew are seasoned charter whose energy and enthusiasm match this impeccable and peerless charter yacht.

Pittwater is a sublime saltwater bay and river system at the northerly tip of Sydney, just 30kms from the City but blessed with pristine National Park and uncrowded waters.

Charters in this pleasant part of Sydney take in the beaches, wetlands, bushland, lagoons and islands where guests can kayak, fish, swim, walk and enjoy native wildlife spotting, including wallabies, sea eagles, hundreds of species of birds and parrots and myriad species of marine life.

There are so many tranquil anchorages in Pittwater and a profusion of fishing hot spots. Just off Church Point, Scotland Island is a secluded paradise which is home to artists, musicians and film makers. For anglers, Soldiers Point, Stokes Point, Longnose Point, Taylor's Point, West Head and Barrenjoey are renowned for the variety of fish. The deep hole about 300 metres off Portuguese Beach is another top spot all year round.

For an exceptional day trip, further along into the Hawkesbury River is the “Shellar Door” of the Broken Bay Pearl Farm, the only pearl farm on the East Coast where the world’s rarest and most valuable Akoya pearls are grown.

Visitors can immerse themselves in the lifecycle of this most covetable natural gem. Explore the pearl leases and marvel at the shells and jewellery, learn about grading and the colourful history of pearls in Australia, then enjoy some delicious, sustainably farmed Sydney Rock Oysters washed down with a cold glass of beer or bubbly.

For those wishing to witness the ancient art of the world’s longest surviving indigenous culture, Sydney Harbour and Pittwater are rich in rock carvings. Grotto Point at Dobroyd Head is one of the best places to see rock engravings up close. The carvings include a giant kangaroo, boomerangs, a whale and small fish. 

Within the Garigal National Park in Middle Harbour, Bantry Bay is home to an extensive group of carvings, located on a rocky outcrop on the hillside above the bay. There are some 82 figures, including people, animals, fish, shields, a canoe, a basket and bag, boomerangs, circles, stone axes and clubs, snakes and a whale.

For visitors to Australia and locals longing to see one of our Aussie icons up close, there is a protected community of Koalas on the Barrenjoey Peninsula. These adorable little mammals thrive in the 125 hectares of allocated natural bushland around Attunga and Hewitt Parks, Bilgola, and local residents have planted 2,000 trees to maintain a food source for the colony.

There are some exceptional places to drop anchor and eat ashore, including the Royal Motor Yacht Broken Bay which specialises in bistro meals and sensational sunsets, and the marinas at Church Point and Bayview, while Palm Beach is famous for its takeaway Aussie hamburgers (beetroot and pineapple) at The General Store.

Flying Fox Cafe is set in a pretty park at Winnererremy Bay and there’s a great play area for kids. The Newport is a chic, freshly-renovated pub that has been serving Pittwater locals since 1880 and Clareville Kiosk, a restaurant in a charming weatherboard cottage at nearby Clareville Beach, is perfect for a romantic lunch or dinner.

Photo credit: The Newport

At Club Palm Beach the fish and chips are legendary, and the deli lunch and wine list at Palm Beach Wine Co have earned them an impressive reputation.

Sydney Harbour is one of the world’s iconic backdrops for New Year’s Eve celebrations, famous for its fireworks displays and incredible blend of cosmopolitan attractions and protected bushland anchorages. There’s plenty to do on and around Sydney Harbour, including numerous unspoilt beaches, dive spots, bushwalk trails and islands for picnics and great vantage points for photographs.

“AURORA is truly unique,” said Jeni Tidmarsh, Director at Luxury Charter Group. “We are taking bookings for charters in Sydney Harbour and Pittwater in the lead up to what promises to be a busy summer season, and for the many and varied itineraries along the east coast into 2022.”

Luxury Charter Group has been appointed Central Agent for AURORA and can tailor itineraries to suit your preferences and plans for the perfect extended charter. Email our Australian-based luxury charter expert, Rebecca Montgomery, or give her a call on +61(0)490 094 072.