Port Stephens Yacht Club

About Port Stephens Yacht Club

Every burgee tells a story, and the orange-and-black flag of Port Stephens Yacht Club tells a better one than most: the cannon on its fly honours the military garrison posted to Soldiers Point in 1820 to watch for escapees from Sydney, and the emblem has stayed with the club through every change of name and address since. This is a keelboat club through and through, running close to 119 races and events a year across four seasons, from Saturday pointscores to offshore sprints beyond the heads. Yet ask members what keeps them here and the answer is rarely the racing. Incoming Commodore Margaux Everett, who took the helm for 2025–26 as the first woman to hold the office, puts it plainly: "People join to sail however stay because of the friendships."

That social glue is easy to spot. Post-race barbecues and long storytelling sessions are built into club life, and the membership spans generations — families who joined decades ago now watch grandchildren take their turn on the same water. The club's own description of itself as "more than a sailing club — it's a community" is repeated often enough to have become something of a creed. Traditions anchor the calendar: the Opening Day Sail Past, where around fifteen yachts file by the Commodore in full maritime dress, has run since the 1970s, while the family-friendly Max and Edna Race carries the memory of two founding figures. With a new Passage Regatta over the October long weekend and digital channels drawing more than 565,000 organic monthly views, this is a club looking forward as confidently as it looks back.

Services

• Sailing club

Service area

Soldiers Point, NSW