About Us

Rob & Sue Ellen – Owners

Both being part of multiple generation local families, our “bosses” are big on family and most days it seems like “everybody” knows us. Even the boats are considered members of the family – and, as with every family, some are higher maintenance than others. Due to Rob’s deteriorating health, he is unable to play a physical part in the business any longer, though he keeps a tight reign on everything and the family report to him frequently.

Sue Ellen has an accounting background and certainly needed to learn how to write letters to guests rather than the Tax Office, the approach is totally different and much more exciting. Now days, the experience with government departments is coming in handy dealing with the ever-increasing licencing/survey requirements.

Having operated on the Tweed since 1994, it is safe to say Rob & Sue Ellen have established a business that is now ingrained as a part of the region and has its’ place in the area history.

About Us
About Us

Operations Manager

Ian ( The eldest son ), our marine operations manager, Is responsible for coordinating our "turn around" team, a well as maintenance and repairs. He joined our business in 2007 after working for Rivera building luxury boats. Ian's skill set and experience have been invaluable in the operation of our business. Although Ian is our eldest son, he has earned his position as our marina operations manager through hard work and dedication to our business.

About Us

Maintenance Officer

Peter (the youngest son) has been working behind the scenes work for many years. As a young teen, he was responsible for filling gas bottles. In 2011, when his father's health deteriorated, Peter joined us full-time to provide extra help. Currently, he is responsible for maintaining our large number of tender outboard motors. Peter is extremely conscientious and always diligently discharges his duties. He has quick wit and a fiery nature, and the perfect way to stir him up is to remind him how much he looks like his dad!

About Us

Service Team Leader

Barry is another family member and is expanding the family with another child on the way! He has a background in air-conditioning and is a jack of all trades. Barry has an excellent work ethic and has already helped us improve efficiency in our team operations. Other leaders frequently request his presence to fix minor problems.

Captains/Briefings Officers

Murray and Stuart are our very own "odd couple" captains, both with many years of experience on the Tweed River. Murray has a background in the water police, and Stuart in the Navy. They will be sure to give you all the information you need for a safe and enjoyable adventure on the water.

Maintenance Crew

Would you like to see your face here? We are looking for someone keen to join our marina team. Mainly maintenance, but if you have the desire and the aptitude, we are happy to support training as a briefing officer or skipper. There is an opening to take charge of the BBQ boat fleet and look after our day-hire guests.

About Us

Guest Services

Mawai is our wonderful laundry lady from across the ditch! She is responsible for the never-ending cycle of sheets and linen to wash, dry, and iron, ensuring your stay is as clean and comfortable as possible. Mawai is also one of our head servicing team members, so be sure to say G'day to her when you are disembarking from your adventure! she is always smiling and happy, and very much a part of our extended family.

Admin/ Bookings

Rachel is the member of our administration team that you will rarely meet though she is always ready for a chat when you call. Since joining us in January 2023, we have frequently shared a laugh over her colourful language. Her expressions such as "Oh darling!", "Lovely Jubbley", "I'm on it like a fat kid on a smartie", "Its all higgildy piggildy", and others never fail to bring a smile to our faces.

Social Media & Marketing

Kat is our social media and marketing dynamo, as well as the friendly face welcoming guests to our houseboats at the marina. Affectionately nicknamed "BP" for her quiet yet effective demeanor, Kat ensures things just get done. She has a keen eye for photography and has been instrumental in enhancing our social presence, which has garnered much positive feedback since she joined our team. One minor problem, Kat is an identical twin - which one do we have at work today?

About Us

Gone But Not Forgotten

Amy (Ian's wife) has been a part of our team since she first started making beds aboard the boats back in 2009. After many years dealing with with enquiries, bookings and customer service then working in marketing, particularly our electronic media such as Facebook and Instagram. Many of you will remember Amy from all her assistance preparing for your adventure and when she greeted you and your guests at the marina. After all these years, Amy has decided to venture out into another industry. We will certainly miss her presence both in the office and at the marina, but don't worry, Amy is still family, so we will share all your gossip 🙂

About Us

Guest Services Team

Our team at Guest Services comprises not only the main team but also up to 15 other members who work hard to prepare the houseboats for your enjoyment. During our turnaround days, we scrub decks, clean windows, and perform other tasks to ensure that you have comfortable and memorable stay. Some of our cleaning staff have been with us for nearly 10 years, and we take pride in being one big family.

We loved our stay with Berger Houseboats. We stayed on the lovely Wavebreak. I cannot recommend it enough! It was great to be able to anchor where you want; we stayed around Chinderah, there was a great tavern and a funky cafe we loved getting coffees from. The staff were amazing, especially Ian who showed us around and went out of his way to make our stay amazing! Thanks guys. We will be back 🙂
Kori
Wavebreak - May 2025
We hired Blue Bayou from Berger Houseboats for 5 days. It was an amazing experience from go to whoa. Firstly, the customer service was second to none. This a family business that provides good old fashioned service both on the phone, by email and in person. Quick to respond, explained everything and happy to help solve any issue or query you might have. A can-do attitude which is rare nowadays. Our houseboat was fabulous! Clean, spacious, and reliable. The staff will help and explain everything you need to know. Driving a houseboat is not difficult once you get the hang of the steering. My advice is don't just park it up on the river but take it as far along as you can. The trip is so peaceful, scenic and was genuinely relaxing and totally recharged our batteries. We swam, fished, and lazed about and took the tender ashore to explore the small townships. The whole experience was better than expected and we all agreed to rebook again. Thank you to the Berger Houseboats Team. Awesome!
Deanne
Blue Bayou - Mar 2025
We had a fantastic long weekend on the Marie Claire! A big thank you to the crew at Berger Houseboats for our amazing experience! The boat was prepared perfectly, ready for our departure. I recommend hiring a motorised tender! This enabled us to have a lunch at the Tumbulgum Tavern, which was just lovely! We love the Tweed River! This was our 2nd visit using Berger Houseboats and we will be back again! Highly recommend!
Richard
Marie Claire - May 2025
Another houseboat holiday completed. An amazing experience and quality time shared with family. We were onboard celebrating a milestone 21st birthday with 3 generations. We've holidayed with Berger in the past and will always recommend Berger whenever a houseboat holiday is planned.
Mitz
JFS Rhyanna - Feb 2025
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