Australia - Sailing your Boat Down Under
It's been said that the waters of the Pacific aren't similar to any other ocean on Earth. If this is the case, then the shorelines around Australia should truly be an unique experience for any sailor who ventures out here.
General Info
The only country the in the world to have a whole continent for itself, Australia certainly has a lot to offer, just because it’s so different. Its landscape, its people, its fauna, they all are unique and it’s because of these that so many people choose Australia as their Yacht Charter holiday destination.
Due to the fact that most of the country is covered in what the natives call “the outback” which is an arid bush land, most of the population is concentrated along the eastern and western coasts. As luck would have it, these are also the best places to visit and the best holiday destinations where most of the Yacht Charter population hangs out.
The Whitsunday group of islands is perhaps the most well-known and the most crowded. It lies off the Queensland Coast and form a part of the Great Barrier Reef. Most Yacht Charter who come here, do it for the lovely scenery which was made into national parks, for the clear waters and the incredibly diverse sea fauna.
Today, the rich come here to flaunt their expensive boats and take in the Pacific sun, but in older days, the Whitsunday islands were used primarily for logging. No trace of that remains today, so your experience when coming here is going to be untainted by man’s work. However, towns like Airlie Beach and Townsville provide the urban landscape and the facilities for those Yacht Charter enthusiasts that don’t want to stray too far from modern life.
Even more urban is the Sydney region, home to the largest natural bay on earth and Australia’s most iconic landmarks, like the Opera House and the Harbor Bridge. But there is still plenty to discover here to in the neighboring Pittwater region, with its endless beaches lost in lush subtropical forests, the perfect setting for Yacht Charter adventurers.
Law & Order
When it comes to sailing a boat in Australia, things aren’t as simple as they’d appear, especially if you’re a foreign Yacht Charter sailor. This is because every Australian state has its own rules when it comes to permits and legislation.
First off, any local or foreign Yacht Charter skipper will need a valid boat license in all states (except for theNorthern Territory). New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia do accept foreign boat licenses for a period of up to 3 months if it is compatible with the type of boat you’re sailing.
For motor boats, a license is required when the engine power output is greater than 4 horsepower and again, this applies in all states but the Northern Territory where no paperwork is required to operate any recreational craft. In states like New South Wales, the license is also imposed for boats that travel faster than 10 knots (18 km/h).