Anniversary Day Regatta

Sydney Harbour, with some of the finest waterways in the world, offers opportunities for yachting that are unsurpassed anywhere else. With 57 square kilometres of almost landlocked waters, an ocean entrance only two kilometres wide, and a coastline over 300 kilometres long, it is one of the most sheltered, picturesque and spacious havens for seagoing vessels in the world. Officially named Port Jackson, Captain Arthur Phillip had described it as “the finest harbour in the world”.

Australians are a maritime people, with their largest cities on the coasts. From the time of the arrival of the First Fleet until the beginning of transoceanic air travel in the 1930s, all immigrants to Australia arrived by sea. The days of sail are considered by many to be the most romantic era in the history of Sydney. During its first 25 years of British settlement, Sydney had a colourful and vigorous maritime life, being visited by a large number of sailing-vessels. These were both naval and mercantile. including many whaling and sealing vessels, which put in for supplies and repairs.

Indeed, part of the importance of yachting to Australia lies in her long nautical history. The first navigation on Sydney Harbour was accomplished by the ships of the First Fleet. Their disembarkation on 26th January considered to be the foundation day of Australia, began to be celebrated with the event of a great regatta on Sydney Harbour.

The predominance of free immigrants and Australian born in a colony of rapidly increasing prosperity gave rise to a spirit of self-defence and pride in colonial achievements. The development of yachting in Sydney was an expression of this spirit. With this sentiment in mind, and with the advantage of their spacious harbour, the yachtsmen of Sydney formulated the idea of organising a regular annual regatta to celebrate the anniversary of the foundation of the colony, traditionally on the sea.

The first formally named “Anniversary Day Regatta” was held on Sydney Harbour on 26th January, 1837. The next Anniversary Day Regatta, held on 26th January, 1938, commemorated the Jubilee of the colony. The race is depicted in this painting, illustrating the tightly-packed yachts of the first-class race, surrounded by spectator craft, on Sydney Harbour. The yachts here are in the vicinity of Pinchgut (Fort Denison). On shore, to the left, can be seen the Government House Stables in the Royal Botanic Gardens. To its right, seen between the sails, is Fort Macquarie on Bennelong Point. the race was won by Harry Sawyer in North Star, with Pet second and Milson’s Sophia third. It was recorded that 10,000 people viewed the spectacle from the Government Domain and Dawes Point. Yachting and yacht racing in Sydney was greatly encouraged by the success of the Anniversary Day Regatta, for it became a gala event for the people of Sydney.

Public interest in these regattas became intense, and it was reported that “the whole population of Sydney turned out” to see them. It wasn’t long before yachting clubs were established in the various states and interstate rivalry developed between the yachtsmen of Sydney and Melbourne in particular.

This was how yachting in Australia began. Epitomised in the Australia Day Anniversary Regatta, it celebrates the foundation of the Australian nation and emphasises the importance of yachting to Australia in a historical sense, effectively reminding us of her long nautical history and reputation as a seafaring nation.