{"id":118450,"date":"2026-01-02T04:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-01T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballarat\/?p=118450"},"modified":"2025-12-19T23:58:06","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T12:58:06","slug":"hit-the-water-with-one-of-australias-oldest-inland-sailing-clubs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballarat\/sport\/hit-the-water-with-one-of-australias-oldest-inland-sailing-clubs\/","title":{"rendered":"Hit the water with one of Australia’s oldest inland sailing clubs"},"content":{"rendered":"

BALLARAT Yacht Club is set to enjoy a full program of sailing as it looks ahead to hosting a major national event at Easter.<\/p>\n

The club will host the combined 2026 Australian and Victorian Hansa (all abilities) Class Championships at Lake Wendouree over 1-7 April, with competitors attending from across the country.<\/p>\n

Between now and then, the club’s calendar promises plenty of sweet days out on the water with a program of racing for members, learn-to-sail classes for adults and tackers, and sailing experience sessions on offer for anyone interested to sample sailing \u2013 or windsurfing.<\/p>\n

After the Christmas-New Year break, the club’s Tackers’ program resumes on 5 January, the Summer Series of racing resumes on 10 January, the Australia Day social racing around the lake happens on 26 January, and the annual Lightweight Sharpie Ballarat Bertie Cup is set for 15 February.<\/p>\n

The club is one of the nation’s oldest inland sailing clubs, with a rich tradition of cultivating a passion for the sport among local residents dating back to the 1800s.<\/p>\n

“The club was formed in 1877 and if it’s not the oldest inland club in Australia it’s very close to,” vice-commodore Joe Luciani said.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Ballarat Yacht Club life member and former commodore Lesley Davies, vice-commodore Joe Luciani and commodore Neville Bilney.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

“We offer sail training for tackers and sailing experience and training for anyone in the community.<\/p>\n

“We also have a very strong focus on Sailability for people of all abilities.<\/p>\n

“The club is very active with a racing calendar and 99 per cent of our activities are based on racing for club members.<\/p>\n

“A lot of people will also go to the bay, Geelong, and more active and keen racers will go to regattas at other locations as well.<\/p>\n

“We have around 80 members, all ages, and we try very hard to get juniors involved for the future.<\/p>\n

“People can arrange formal sailing training or a sailing experience, either club-based or with an accredited instructor.”<\/p>\n

Club life member, keen local sailor Lesley Davies, discovered sailing as a 13-year-old and never looked back, becoming the club’s first female commodore in 2013 after 136 years with a male sailor at the helm.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Ballarat Yacht Club has a full program of sailing ahead and is welcoming anyone interested in learning to sail. Photo: SUPPLIED<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

“As a child I sailed here and I’ve even still got my old boat,” said Ms Davies, who today is a current committee member, while the club’s current commodore is Neville Bilney.<\/p>\n

“People often have a misconception that yachting is expensive and elitist, but that’s really not the case,” Ms Davies said.<\/p>\n

“It’s a fun sport, a challenging sport, and a great way to meet new people.”<\/p>\n

Mr Bilney said the club is always very happy to welcome anyone keen to give sailing a go, and is looking forward to hosting the 2026 Australian and Victorian Hansa Class Championships.<\/p>\n

“It’ll be a big event,” he said.<\/p>\n

More details about the club can be found at ballaratyachtclub.com.au<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BALLARAT Yacht Club is set to enjoy a full program of sailing as it looks ahead to hosting a major national event at Easter. The club will host the combined 2026 Australian and Victorian Hansa (all abilities) Class Championships at Lake Wendouree over 1-7 April, with competitors attending from across the country. Between now and […]<\/p>\n

Read More…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":244,"featured_media":118458,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"post_folder":[],"class_list":["post-118450","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sport"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHit the water with one of Australia's oldest inland sailing clubs - Ballarat Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Join Ballarat Yacht Club for sailing classes, racing, and the 2026 Hansa Championships at one of Australia\u2019s oldest inland clubs.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballarat\/sport\/hit-the-water-with-one-of-australias-oldest-inland-sailing-clubs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hit the water with one of Australia's oldest inland sailing clubs - 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