The QantasLink Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race will set sail for the 67th time on Good Friday. A fleet of between thirty to fifty yachts from across Australia and overseas will converge at the Shorncliffe shoreline where His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC, Governor of Queensland, will officially start the race at 11am on 3 April.
Competitors will travel over 308 nautical miles along Queensland’s coastline and finish at Gladstone Harbour in the Southern Great Barrier Reef region. Boasting previous winners such as Rupert Murdoch in 1964 and 1965, the Brisbane to Gladstone is one of Australia’s flagship races, second only to the Sydney to Hobart.
Entries to the event are still open and organisers are urging sailing enthusiasts to get involved. Queensland Cruising Yacht Club and Race Director Nigel Statham said, “we have introduced some exciting new features into the race for 2015 aimed at allowing the occasional racer and serious cruiser to tick the race off their bucket list and join the cream of the offshore racing fleet on the start line.”
The event is open to amateurs and professionals alike with monohull vessels no smaller than nine metres.
For those who don’t have their sea legs, Gladstone’s Harbour is the place to be for the end of race festivities. Staged each year in conjunction with the famous blue water classic, the Gladstone Harbour Festival is an action packed week of activity and events running from 1 – 5 April. Fabulous firework displays, amazing entertainment and rides will take place at Gladstone Marina.
To celebrate and rub shoulders with the crews and view the boats, head to Gladstone’s Yacht Club where the two Clubs will set up the Race Information Centre base for the duration on the race and will play host to the official after party on Sunday 5 April.
Mayor of Gladstone, Cr Gail Sellers will continue her tradition of handing over a carton of XXXX to every crew as they cross the finish line.
For more information on how to be a part of the historical 308 nautical mile challenge, visit www.brisbanetogladstone.com.au
For Gladstone and Southern Great Barrier Reef holiday deals and more information on visiting the region go to:
www.southerngreatbarrierreef.com.au #southerngreatbarrierreef
WHAT: 67th QantasLink Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race
WHO: Sailors and spectators
ENTRIES: Late entries are accepted until 25 March
WHEN: Starts on Good Friday, 3 April 2015 and runs across the Easter Long Weekend
WHERE: Gladstone Marina will play host to the Gladstone Harbour Festival and official post-race party at Gladstone Yacht Club
INFO: www.southerngreatbarrierreef.com.au #southerngreatbarrierreef and www.gladstoneregion.info/visitor-information
– Alex Stokes
IMAGES: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/pioo1nq3pxm6bwe/AACVp2IoxJSC9OuQtOg244zha?dl=0
TOP THINGS TO DO IN THE GLADSTONE REGION OVER THE EASTER LONG WEEKEND
- Get involved in all the post-race celebrations of the QantasLink Brisbane to Gladstone yacht event and head down to Gladstone Marina. The Gladstone Harbour Festival will run from 1 – 5April with five days of festival fun including markets, a street parade, rides, the amazing raft race and breathtaking fireworks each night.
- Dine and unwind on the Captain’s Deck at Gladstone Yacht Club. The best vantage spot to see the yachts come in at the end of the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race, not to mention the beautiful water and sunset views.
- Agnes Water Beach Club offers luxurious self-contained apartments less than a minutes’ walk from the beach. Explore the national parks and isolated beaches of the region and take advantage of the amazing fishing and easy access to the Great Barrier Reef.
- Experience the turquoise waters and white sands of Heron Island, a natural coral cay which sits 89km off the coast of Gladstone. A myriad of colourful coral and reef fish where you can take on a diving trip or a snorkelling excursion.
- Take a drive to the awe-inspiring and ever-changing landscape of Kroombit Tops National Park. The 800 metre high sandstone plateau overlooking surrounding farmlands is ideal for a four-wheel driving adventure.
