News
General Manager - Northern Territory Update August 2026
Published Wed 05 Aug 2026
The latest update from Australian Sailing's NT General Manager - Claire Hall
Please click this link to find all past NT General Managers Updates.
General Update
Welcome to the August update!
Congratulations to Gove Boat Club who re-accredited as a Discover Sailing Centre in June and has already completed their first course! It's great to see sailing activities going strong. We will be working with Gove Boat Club in September to deliver 3 x SailLAB days to local schools using their new DF65 fleet and Hobie Getaways.
A regular item on our annual calendar is the Surf & Sail at Lake Alexander during April & July holidays. This is run in conjunction with Surf Life Saving NT. The July event was popular with about 70 kids trying sailing and a number signing up for the Darwin Sailing Club Adventure Club school holiday program.
In addition to this we also participated in the Be Inclusive Games at Darwin Waterfront for the first time using the DF65 (remote control boats). We were easily the most popular activity on the day with an invitation to return at any time!
In early July the Darwin Sailing Club hosted the Zhik Youth Sail NT with 43 junior and youth sailors participating, a record number which we hope to build on in 2027! Youth Sail included 3 x days coaching with 3 coaches visiting from interstate this was a great opportunity to develop the skills of our local coaches. This was followed by 2 x days racing as the NT Youth Championships. In between activities we also had a Guest Speaker event with Olympic sailor Nia Jerwood that was very well received.
This was closely followed by the NT Championships in late July. Open to classes with 3 or more starters there were 6 x divisions with 35 sailors on the water for the Show Day long weekend. As we move to planning for the 2027 season wea re looking at ways to improve this event and are open to feedback from clubs and sailors.
Dinah Beach Cruising Yacht Association has been a hive of activity with the famous Viking Funeral again reaching record attendance numbers and the long-awaited start of the Darwin-Banda Yacht Race. The race had 15 boats with approximately 80 crew head off on Aug 1 and no doubt they are enjoying themselves as they are arriving in beautiful Banda Neira about now.
Stronger Clubs Program
The Stronger Associations Program helps Northern Territory (NT) incorporated associations strengthen governance, improve sustainability and meet obligations. Through the program you can access:
·governance health checks
·information sessions
Safer Business Grant
Supporting Territory businesses to co-invest in practical security improvements to their eligible commercial asset to strengthen business confidence, resilience and continuity of operations. The grant aims to:
·Improve the physical security of eligible commercial assets.
·Support businesses to proactively address physical security vulnerabilities and risks relevant to their operations.
·Encourage co-investment in practical security improvements that contribute to safer and more resilient business environments.
·Provide accessible and timely support for businesses to implement eligible security works.
Closes 31 August
Youth Quick Response Grants
Up to $2000 of financial support to enable young Territorians to engage and participate in a variety of after-school/weekend drug and alcohol-free recreational events, personal development and leadership programs.
Closes 30 April 2027
If your Club is looking for guidance – whether in planning, participation growth, training delivery, governance, or event support – please reach out to our team. We are here to assist and are always happy to discuss how we can best support your Club.
Claire Hall
0467 307 234
