Historic club sets course for inclusive future

QUEENSCLIFF Cruising Yacht Club (QCYC) will celebrate its 60-year anniversary this weekend with a commemorative race and opening day to mark the milestone.

The Swan Island-based club will throw open its doors on Sunday, October 30 to celebrate the occasion and will play host to a Port Phillip Bay race to round out its festivities.

A passage race for the Goorangai Memorial Trophy tomorrow (Saturday, October 29) will begin at Royal Brighton Yacht Club at end at Queenscliff, bringing dozens of sails across the bay ahead of the following day’s anniversary celebrations.

Sunday will include the opening day, a blessing of the fleet and luncheon, with RSVPs essential by contacting the club.

The Goorangai Trophy is in honour of the HMAS Goorangai, which sunk in 1940 en route from Queenscliff to Portsea after colliding with passenger ship MV Duntroon. Goorangai’s 24 crew died in the tragedy.

Former QCYC member Les Nangle, who had served on Goorangai as a petty officer with the Royal Australian Navy Volunteer Reserve before her last voyage, presented the club with the trophy to remember the lost crew.

The memorial race will this year include the Eliza Ramsden Trophy to go to the winner of the female helm division that has been newly introduced.

The club said the new trophy built on the success of its Keelboat Introduction for Sailing Savvy women’s program and a wider push to be more inclusive and encourage female participation in its activities – headlined by its current commodore Lee Renfree, who became the first women to lead the club last year.

“Queenscliff Cruising Yacht Club has much to celebrate in its 60th year, a club like no other which offers so much to members and visitors alike,” the club stated.

“The invitation to join the party at the island paradise is open to all to come and enjoy.”