AUSTRALIA’s largest marine transport and tourism operator, SeaLink Marine & Tourism, has announced the acquisition of Red Cat Adventures, which is renowned for its day tours and private charters to destinations like the Whitsunday Islands, Great Barrier Reef, Mackay, and Airlie Beach.
The company, founded in 2015 by Asher and Julie Telford, operates five custom-built vessels designed for the unique location conditions, as well as a fleet of 22 jet skis offering personalised guided tours of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, and four coast buses.
“We are thrilled to welcome the Red Cat Adventures team into the SeaLink family,” SeaLink Marine & Tourism CEO Donna Gauci said. “Our companies are committed to showcasing the best the Whitsundays has to offer and providing brilliant unforgettable experiences for our guests”.
She added that the new partnership will further expand SeaLink’s offerings in the Whitsunday region, where it began providing ferry transfer services to Hayman Island in 2021 before also introducing day tour experiences around the Whitsunday Islands and Whitehaven Beach.
Red Cat Adventures co-owner Asher Telford said, “I love that we are joining the SeaLink family with our shared vision of providing award-winning brilliant experiences to visitors from around the world”.
“For Julie and I, it was crucial to partner with a company that shares our values of family, community, customer satisfaction, safety, and environmental responsibility.”
“While bigger companies have approached us before, we’ve never felt they were the right fit for our culture, but knowing SeaLink as we do, we feel very comfortable that we can all grow together as one successful Australian company.”
The Telfords will continue to run Red Cat Adventures, with operations to remain “business as usual” for customers, agents, and staff.
Pictured: SeaLink Whitsundays General Manager Rob Mitchell flanked by Asher and Julie Telford.
