about the ship

Ship's History

Young Endeavour was a gift from the United Kingdom to the Government and people of Australia to mark the Bicentenary in 1988
    
Construction began on the ship in May 1986 in Lowestoft, England and on 3 August 1987 she began the long voyage to Australia with a crew which included 24 young people from Britain and Australia. The official handover ceremony took place on 25 January 1988 in the presence of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales in Farm Cove, Sydney Harbour.
In his acceptance speech, the ship was pledged by the then Prime Minister, Mr Bob Hawke, to serve Australian youth. For a land girt by sea, the ship was a reminder of the maritime heritage shared by the two countries. Her arrival heralded the start of a new era of sail training in Australia.

The Government decided that the Royal Australian Navy would operate and maintain the ship, and that the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme would be set up to manage the associated sail training program.

The Scheme was established in early 1988 with a Board appointed by and responsible to the Minister for Defence. The Scheme's management and administration is undertaken by civilian staff, and is based in the ship's home port of Sydney.

As Australia's sail training flagship, Young Endeavour participates in major events in Australia and around the world.

In 1990, Young Endeavour made her first international voyage since her delivery from England to take part in New Zealand's Sesquicentennial celebrations and the opening of the Commonwealth Games.

The ship completed a circumnavigation of the world during 1992 representing Australia at celebrations in Europe and America commemorating the 500th anniversary of Columbus' Voyage of Discovery to the New World.

She circumnavigated Australia and represented the nation in celebrations to mark Indonesia's 50th anniversary of Independence in 1995.

Young Endeavour participated in Tall Ships 1998, marking the Bicentenary of Bass and Flinders' circumnavigation of Tasmania, and for many years was the radio relay vessel on the Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

In 2000, Young Endeavour visited New Zealand where she arranged a rendezvous with the Bark Endeavour in Cook Strait.

In 2001 Young Endeavour undertook the historic Centenary Circumnavigation to celebrate the Centenary of Federation.

In 2002 she participated in celebrations commemorating the Centenary of Flinder's explorations in South Australia and Queensland.

In 2003 Young Endeavour celebrated her 15th Anniversary and won the Tall Ship's Race on Sydney Harbour for Australia Day.

In 2006 the Young Endeavour sailed to New Zealand for a series of voyages in January as well as participation in Auckland's first ever Festival of the Sea.