Johnson Property Group managing director Keith Johnson said the marina would be “one of the largest in NSW”, providing much-needed boating infrastructure.

Mr Johnson said the driving of the first marina pile was a milestone that followed years of hard work and planning.

“I’m on top of the world,” Mr Johnson said.

The plan includes a 188-berth marina, 250 apartments, a 5-star Pullman hotel, restaurant, cafe, boardwalk, function centre, day spa, pool, gym and shops.

“It’s going to be a magnificent piece of architecture,” Mr Johnson said.

He predicted it would be a “major destination for boating and yachting enthusiasts”.

The marina’s designer Les Binkin was passionate about the project.

“The project will be highly beneficial for the local area,” Mr Binkin, who owns Marmong Point Marina in the lake’s north, said.

Bellingham Marine will construct stage one of the marina, which involves drilling the piles, with work due for completion later this year.

Mr Johnson wants the entire project complete by Christmas 2017.

“We expect to be doing New Year’s Eve fireworks at Trinity Point next year.”

Mr Johnson made a big push to promote the project in the past 15 months, signing model Jennifer Hawkins and former Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke as brand ambassadors.

The project had attracted opposition from some residents who said it was an “overdevelopment”, but Mr Johnson said the plan reflected what planning authorities wanted for the site.

He added that the project had to be a certain size to ensure it was viable.

Morisset Park and District Action Group president Tom Dumbrell said locals were left feeling “cynical about the planning process we have in NSW”.

“The locals simply don’t think it’s a democratic process,” Mr Dumbrell said.