Locations
Sailing regions of Australia
Australia has more than 30,000 kilometres of tidal coastline and every state teaches something different. Seven regions and 20 sailing areas, each with waters, tides, seasons, exam notes and qualifying passages.
NSW
New South Wales
Sydney Harbour, Pittwater and Broken Bay give you the busiest and most varied training waters in the country, with a coastline of harbours spaced almost perfectly for Yachtmaster qualifying passages.
Sydney Harbour
The busiest, most varied training water in Australia.
Pittwater and Broken Bay
Sheltered water, deep anchorages and the perfect night-pilotage harbour.
Port Stephens and Newcastle
The destination of the classic 80-mile qualifying passage.
Jervis Bay and the South Coast
A vast, clear bay and a coast of small harbours running to Bass Strait.
QLD
Queensland
From the sandbanks of Moreton Bay to the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland offers reliable trade winds, serious tidal streams and a 1,000-mile coast that can be sailed in short hops or long passages.
Brisbane and Moreton Bay
Shoal-water pilotage and a working port.
Gold Coast and the Broadwater
A sheltered Broadwater and a trained Seaway that teaches entrance timing.
Sunshine Coast, the Wide Bay Bar and Hervey Bay
Mooloolaba, the most famous bar in Australia and the Great Sandy Strait.
Mackay, Keppel and the Capricorn Coast
Where the tides grow big and the tropics begin.
The Whitsundays and Airlie Beach
Trade winds, island passages and the bareboat capital of Australia.
Townsville, Cairns and the far north
Reef navigation, Hinchinbrook and the road to Cape York.
VIC
Victoria
Melbourne's enormous bay is a sailing arena in its own right, and its entrance, The Rip, is the finest tidal-gate lesson a Yachtmaster candidate could ask for. Beyond lie Western Port, Wilsons Promontory and Bass Strait.
TAS
Tasmania
The Derwent, the D'Entrecasteaux Channel, the east coast and the wild south-west offer some of the best cruising in the world, with weather that demands real seamanship.
SA
South Australia
Gulf St Vincent and Spencer Gulf give South Australian sailors big, open, tidal water with long fetches, while Kangaroo Island and Backstairs Passage add genuine tidal-race and swell experience.
WA
Western Australia
Perth and Fremantle have reliable summer sea breezes, Rottnest Island on the doorstep and open Indian Ocean swell, while the north of the state has some of the largest tides on the planet.
Perth and Fremantle
The Fremantle Doctor, Rottnest and reef-strewn Indian Ocean sailing.
Albany, Cape Leeuwin and the south coast
Southern Ocean sailing between two great capes.
Broome and the Kimberley
Ten-metre tides, remote wilderness and the ultimate tidal-planning test.
NT
Northern Territory
Darwin is Australia's gateway to South-East Asia and a tidal masterclass, with a dry season of steady easterlies and a wet season nobody sails in.
What changes from coast to coast
| Region | Tidal character | Prevailing wind | Main season | Boat licence for a yacht's engine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | Semi-diurnal, 1 to 2 m | NE sea breezes and southerly changes in summer; W in winter | All year; autumn best | Only at 10 knots or more |
| Queensland | Semi-diurnal, 2 m in Brisbane to 9 m in Broad Sound | SE trades April to October | Dry season in the tropics; all year in the south-east | Yes, engine over 6 hp |
| Victoria | 1 m in Port Phillip, 3 m in Western Port; 8-knot streams at The Rip | S to SW sea breezes; fast fronts | November to April | Yes, any powered vessel |
| Tasmania | 1 to 1.5 m Hobart, 3 m Tamar | W and SW; fronts every few days | December to March | Yes, engine 4 hp or more |
| South Australia | 2 to 3 m with strong diurnal component; the dodge tide | SW sea breezes, hot northerlies, winter fronts | Spring to autumn | Yes, motorised vessels |
| Western Australia | 0.5 to 1 m diurnal in the south-west; 9 to 11 m in the Kimberley | The Fremantle Doctor in summer; NW fronts in winter | All year in Perth; dry season in the north | Yes, engine over 6 hp |
| Northern Territory | Semi-diurnal, up to 8 m | SE trades in the dry season; NW monsoon in the wet | May to October only | No licence required |
Choosing a region for your exam
Train where you will sail
The exam is the same everywhere, but the questions are drawn from the water around you. If you will spend your sailing life in the Whitsundays, learn tides in Queensland. If Bass Strait is your future, learn fronts and tidal gates in Victoria.
Or train where the syllabus is hardest
Some candidates deliberately choose big-tide, heavy-traffic waters (Sydney Harbour, Moreton Bay, Port Phillip) on the theory that a skipper examined there is ready for anywhere. It is a fair theory.
Think about the season
Tropical Queensland and the Northern Territory close in the wet season; Tasmania and Victoria are best in summer and autumn; New South Wales and Perth sail all year. Time the preparation week for the coast's good months.
Use the passages
Every region and area page lists the standard passages over 60 miles. The east coast offers the most, but every state has at least one within a weekend's sail of its capital.
Not sure which level to aim for?
The three Yachtmaster certificates compared, and the pathway that leads to each.
Part of the YouSail network
Your next step is on the water.
Get to know the coast
Explore sailing areas, nearby marinas and local services as you plan your next passage.
Training / YouSailFind your sailing school
Explore schools on YouSail, then ask about Yachtmaster preparation, available boats and exam dates.
Tools / YouSailPut your theory to work
Practise passage-time and distance calculations with YouSail’s maritime tools.