The latest update from Australian Sailing's General Manager - Queensland - Annie Watson

Please click this link to find all past Queensland General Manager Updates.

General Update

Thank you for all the great work you have done over the past 12 months.  You have kept Alison and Di busy supporting your club to be the best version of itself.  We are all so excited when you have a win with a new program, increase your membership, finalise your Strategic Plan or you attend one of our opportunities to connect during the year. We are always here to help. 

The Yachting Queensland Limited Liquidation is nearing completion.  Once this process has finished, the application to ASIC for deregistration will commence. More information around the formation of the Queensland Regional Advisory Committee and Clubs becoming direct members of Australian Sailing will follow after deregistration is completed. 

Keppel Bay Sailing Club is hosting the Open Skiff World Championships next summer and to complement this great opportunity for Queensland Clubs the Open Skiff Association is offering a seed fleet offer. They will loan 4 complete O’pen Skiff’s ready to sail with sails and beach trolleys, for 12 months. The loan equipment will be the responsibility of the Club during the loan period. At the end of the loan period, you have the option to return the loan equipment, or your club or any of your members can purchase the loan equipment at the agreed price of $3900 incl. GST per complete O’pen Skiff with beach trolley.  For more information or to discuss your club’s options, please contact Bevan McKavanagh on 02 9949 1322. 

The Australian Sailing Awards, an absolute gala event held at the National Maritime Museum, saw Rory Meehan become Youth Sailor of the Year, Rafael Trujillo Coach of the Year, and Airlie Beach Race Week win the Innovation Award. Congratulations!  A huge shout out to our Queensland Finalists as well, Southport Yacht Club for Club of the Year Band A, Cleveland Yacht Club for Club of the Year Band B and Volunteer of the Year Donnah Jordan.  You can read all about it here: https://www.sailing.org.au/news/mayo-thomson-and-rfbyc-winners-at-australian-sailing-awards  

Queensland winners are also nominated to the QSport Awards. Congratulations to our three Qsport Award contenders:  Rory Meehan Junior Athlete of the Year, Donnah Jordan Volunteer of the Year and Airlie Beach Race Week for the Innovation Award.  The Awards night was held at the Brisbane Convention Centre where CEO Malcolm Page and I celebrated all sport in Queensland. 

To finish off our year, we are taking a look at club racing and regatta fleet numbers and what classes we have in Queensland.  This will help us see trends and areas of focus for 2026.  If you don’t have results on your website, Di or Alison will give you a call to ask for access. 

The Queensland office will be closed from COB Friday 19th December and will reopen on Monday 5th January.  

Here are some of the highlights from 2025:

• Di came on board as a full time Club Support Officer in North Queensland. 
• Sailing Summit Roadshow in Cairns, Whitsundays, Hervey Bay & SE Queensland were all well attended. 
• Officials Workshops held in SE Queensland and at Capricornia Cruising Yacht Club. 
• Officials Mentoring Program – getting our officials qualified and upskilled. 
• Women and Girls Officials Introduction Sessions getting more females into officiating. 
• We’ve visited 88% of our clubs in person. 
• Townsville Sailing Club won the Olympian Visit Competition and had Jim Colley attend the club for the weekend. 
• We held Instructor Development Weekends at Whitsunday Sailing Club & Port Curtis Sailing Club. 
• Delivered three regional coaching clinics as part of North Sail in Townsville, Lake Cootharaba’s Easter Regatta and Sail Airlie in the Whitsundays. 
• Over half of our clubs have registered for Game Plan and have completed modules setting themselves up for better governance. 
• Southport Yacht Club took out the National top gong in the Participation Report for 2024 with RQ and KBSC in the Top 10.  
• Youth Sail Queensland held at Keppel Bay Sailing Club had 240 youth sailors attend. 
• Lake Cootharaba Sailing Club has started a new coaching program.
• Lake Samsonvale Water Sports Association held a Discover Sailing day with over 200 participants attend with many different options for people to try – including Radio Controlled Yachts. 
• The St Helena Cup turned 50 and had 110 boats attend the celebration.
• Radio Controlled Yacht Project is well underway adding another inclusive option for clubs.   

From all the team here in Queensland we wish you a safe festive season.  For those clubs that are hosting a National Championship, we hope that you have a successful event. For those of you who are competing, we wish you fair winds and fast sailing. 

Keep in Touch

If you have any questions on the above topics, please contact the General Manager - QLD, Annie Watson at annie.watson@sailing.org.au. You can find a complete list of Australian Sailing Contacts – here.