YouSailPowered by YouSail.com.au Independent editorial. No bookings, no commission.
Home · Regions

46 sailing grounds

Every meaningful charter region in Australia, including low-supply grounds where a sailing school, club or expedition operator is the better lead. Each page covers weather, hazards, anchorages, itineraries and the operators that actually sail there.

15 day-by-day itinerariesLegs, distances and seasons for the grounds below, from a harbour day sail to a ten-day Kimberley passage. When to sail, month by monthAustralia has no single season. Twelve pages on which grounds are in their window and which are shut.
13 departure basesThe marinas and waterfronts charters actually leave from, and what each is a gateway to. By state and territoryEight jurisdictions, eight sets of rules and eight different seasons.
WHEN EACH GROUND IS IN SEASON JFMAMJJASOND Hawkesbury River and Cowan… Lord Howe Island Newcastle and Hunter Coast NSW South Coast Pittwater and Broken Bay Port Stephens and Broughto… Sydney Harbour Jervis Bay Arnhem Land Coast Darwin Harbour Tiwi Islands Airlie Beach Brisbane and Moreton Bay Cairns and Outer Reef Gold Coast Broadwater Hamilton Island Hervey Bay and K’gari Magnetic Island and Townsv… Port Douglas and Low Isles Sunshine Coast Whitsundays Adelaide and Gulf St Vince… Eyre Peninsula Glenelg Kangaroo Island Yorke Peninsula Bass Strait and Tamar D’Entrecasteaux Channel an… Hobart and River Derwent Port Davey and Bathurst Ha… Tasman Peninsula Tasmania East Coast Gippsland Lakes Melbourne and Port Phillip Mornington Peninsula Victorian South-West Coast Western Port Albany and WA South Coast Broome and Kimberley Fremantle, Rottnest and Ca… Geographe Bay and South We… Houtman Abrolhos Perth and Swan River Shark Bay to North West Ca… In the broad season In season, inside cyclone season Outside the broad season Broad planning windows from each region page, not a forecast. Cyclone season runs 1 November to 30 April and cyclones can occur outside it.

Queensland

Whitsundaysbareboat week, family catamaran, first tropical charter · 5 operators
Airlie Beachcharter logistics, provisioning, fleet comparison · 5 operators
Hamilton Islandresort-linked day sailing and private skippered charter
Cairns and Outer Reefshared reef sailing and private snorkel charter
Port Douglas and Low Islesluxury small-group reef catamaran
Magnetic Island and Townsvilleauthentic monohull sailing, sunset, private overnight
Brisbane and Moreton Bayprotected-water bareboat and family catamaran · 2 operators
Gold Coast Broadwaterlarge-group catamaran and corporate event · 3 operators
Sunshine Coastskippered coastal day sail; limited bareboat supply · 1 operator
Hervey Bay and K’gariwildlife-focused private cruising and niche bareboat

New South Wales

Sydney Harbourfirst-time skippered sail, corporate regatta, celebrations · 8 operators
Pittwater and Broken Baybareboat weekend and quiet overnight cruising · 1 operator
Hawkesbury River and Cowan Creeksheltered multi-day nature cruise
Port Stephens and Broughton Islandwildlife sail and full-day offshore extension · 1 operator
Newcastle and Hunter Coastrace charter and passage training
NSW South Coastexperienced skippered passages; limited fleet availability
Lord Howe Islandexpedition passage only; no dependable resident bareboat fleet · 1 operator

New South Wales / Jervis Bay Territory

Jervis Baywildlife-oriented skippered day sail; gateway to JBT waters · 1 operator

Victoria

Melbourne and Port Phillipskippered day sailing and corporate events · 1 operator
Mornington Peninsulasummer day charter and bay crossing · 1 operator
Western Portexperienced local sailing; tidal navigation
Gippsland Lakessmall-boat hire, training and sheltered cruising · 2 operators
Victorian South-West Coastoffshore training and race passage; sparse leisure charter fleet

Tasmania

Hobart and River Derwentharbour sail, tall ship and corporate charter · 2 operators
D’Entrecasteaux Channel and Bruny Islandmulti-day scenic cruising and food-focused charter · 1 operator
Tasmania East Coastexpedition and passage charter · 2 operators
Tasman Peninsuladramatic coastal expedition in settled weather · 2 operators
Port Davey and Bathurst Harbourexpert-led remote expedition only · 1 operator
Bass Strait and Tamaroffshore passage and race sailing; little casual charter inventory

South Australia

Adelaide and Gulf St Vincentskippered day sail, training and overnight · 1 operator
Glenelgsunset and wildlife catamaran · 1 operator
Yorke Peninsulamulti-day skippered or hosted cruising
Kangaroo Islandexperienced crewed expedition
Eyre Peninsulaexpedition or race sailing; verify scarce charter supply

Western Australia

Perth and Swan Rivertraining, small-boat sailing and sheltered events
Fremantle, Rottnest and Carnaccatamaran day trip, snorkel sail and private event
Geographe Bay and South Westsummer day sail, training and liveaboard learning
Houtman Abrolhosmulti-day expedition with experienced crew
Shark Bay to North West Capespecialist expedition; low mainstream sailing-charter supply
Broome and Kimberleydry-season expedition sailing
Albany and WA South Coasttraining or specialist skippered sailing; sparse charter fleet

Northern Territory

Darwin Harboursunset sail and private event catamaran · 1 operator
Tiwi Islandspermitted, crewed multi-day expedition
Arnhem Land Coastspecialist expedition only · 1 operator

Australian Capital Territory

Lake Burley Griffindinghy/trailer-sailer hire and introductory training

Commonwealth territories

External and remote territoriesExpedition, local tour or market-gap guidance