All aboard for 2023 Brisbane to Gladstone

Photo: Sarah Motherwell

Be part of the excitement of the 75^th anniversary Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race on Good Friday aboard Brisbane Whale Watching’s luxury catamaran Eye Spy.

Captain Kerry Lopez says her vessel will be positioned in the starting grounds as it has for the past 10 years on April 7 when the yachts begin their journey to Gladstone from Shorncliffe.

“Eye Spy is built for spectators, with six viewing platforms, so she’s perfect for watching the start of the race,” she says.

The vessel’s ceiling-to-floor windows also ensure passengers have an uninterrupted view of the race.

The Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race runs parallel to the Redcliffe foreshore as the boats make their way up the coast before making a sharp turn out to Moreton Bay.

Eye Spy moves with the fleet and offers a spectacular vantage point.

“It’s exciting to see who’s going to take the lead. I love the excitement of the race and seeing who gets their spinnakers up,” Kerry says.

It is an experience which draws return passengers, particularly family and friends of sailors taking part in the race.

This year is the 75^th anniversary of the race and classic wooden boats are expected to be part of the spectator flotilla.

Kerry says there may even be a spectacle in the sky, if the 70^th anniversary is anything to go by. On that anniversary, RAAF Hercules flew overhead.

“It will be a great day, a great way to spend Good Friday and a great vantage point from which to enjoy the foreshore too,” she says.

Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race cruise details

Date: Friday, April 7, 2023

Departure Point: Redcliffe Jetty, Redcliffe Pde, Redcliffe

Boarding: 9am

Departure: 9.30am

Returning: 1-1.30pm

Inclusions:

A variety of mixed cakes for morning tea (tea and coffee are purchasable on board)

Gourmet picnic lunchbox including chicken, ham, garden salad, potato salad, fruit, and more

Cost: $99 standard, $79 standard child (4-14 years)

For more information and to make a booking, visit the website