28 April 2025
The Royal Australian Navy Sail Training Ship (STS) Young Endeavour arrived in Brisbane after completing the first voyage of its final circumnavigation of Australia.
Twenty-four young Australian crew members were aloft the 33m mast and yards, and the ship sailed into the river, ready to be welcomed by friends and family.
More than 300 young Australians aged 16-23 will join the seven-month voyage, travelling as far north as Thursday Island and as far south as Albany, before returning to Sydney in October.
This will be the vessel’s first circumnavigation of Australia in almost a decade, and its last before it will be replaced by a state-of-the-art vessel, currently under construction.
The ship departed Dockside Marina, Kangaroo Point, on April 16, setting sail for Gladstone.
This is the second leg of a 14-voyage circumnavigation of Australia this year.
Lieutenant Commander Andrew Leupen said the Youth Development program was so much more than just a sailing experience.
“We embark 24 new youth crew and take them on a voyage of discovery,” Lieutenant Commander Leupen said.
“We provide an environment where young Australians are taken out of their comfort zone to do things they never thought they could.
“There is a camaraderie that can only be forged at sea through a shared experience of trial and tribulation.”
The Young Endeavour Youth Development Program is internationally recognised in the field of sail training.
Over 11 days, youth crews will sail the ship 24 hours a day in all types of conditions, building their confidence, self-awareness and leadership skills.
On the end of the final voyage, five youth provide an entry in the Captain’s log on what the Young Endeavour meant to them: “Young Endeavour means family, it means life changing, it means connection and adventure and a thousand other descriptive words, but it is also indescribable.”
Voyages help youth develop teamwork, leadership and communication skills that help them overcome challenges in their everyday lives.
Lieutenant Commander Leupen said the cohort were extraordinary, with one young Australian receiving an award for excellence.
“Cooper stood out among a cohort of exceptional youth by always supporting those around him, digging deep during difficult times and remaining a shining light of positivity,” Lieutenant Commander Leupen said.
