Horsham Yacht Club

Horsham Yacht Club is based at Green Lake, 8283 Western Highway, Bungalally, about 10 kilometres from Horsham in western Victoria. The club now hosts all kinds of water sports at the lake, from sailing to water skiing, and visitors are welcome, with plenty of parking.

The sailing season has traditionally opened on the second weekend in October and closed on the last weekend in April. The club is most active on its Facebook page, which is the best place to check for current sailing and events.

Green Lake is Horsham's water playground. It's a shallow lake beside the highway with sandy shores, picnic areas and boat ramps, and on warm weekends it's busy with sailors, skiers, anglers and swimmers. The club is a community hub for all of them, and a good first stop for anyone wanting to get on the water in the Wimmera.

See our Bungalally sailing clubs page for more.

Horsham Yacht Club is a small, community-run club, and the best way to get involved is to follow its Facebook page for sailing days and events during the season. Inland lakes like Green Lake are a great place to learn, with no tides to worry about. For more structured learn-to-sail programs in western Victoria, Stawell Yacht Club at Lake Fyans and Ballarat Yacht Club on Lake Wendouree both run sailing activities.

Because Green Lake is shared by sailors, water skiers and powerboats, beginners should learn the basic give-way rules and keep a good lookout. Our guide to sailing safety for beginners covers lifejackets, rules and good habits, and our FAQ on what beginners should learn first is a useful next read.

The club is at Green Lake, beside the Western Highway at Bungalally, about 10 kilometres south-east of Horsham in Victoria's Wimmera region. Green Lake is a freshwater lake popular for sailing, skiing and other water sports, and there's ample parking for visitors. Water levels in inland lakes can vary with the seasons, so it's worth checking with the club before bringing a boat.

Green Lake was originally built as an off-stream reservoir for irrigation. Since the Wimmera–Mallee Pipeline replaced the region's old open channels, it's no longer used for water supply, but it still helps manage water quality in the system, and it has become a shallow recreational lake with sandy shoreline, picnic facilities and boat ramps. Boating on the lake is managed by Horsham Rural City Council. Dogs and campfires aren't permitted, and in dry years water quality (including blue-green algae) can affect use, so check before you go.

Horsham Yacht Club has long been the home of sailing at Green Lake, and local media have covered the club's sailing action there over the years. As interest in other water sports grew, the club broadened its focus to welcome all water sports at the lake, while keeping its traditional sailing season running from October to April.

The lake's story shaped the club. Green Lake began as part of the Wimmera's irrigation system, and changes to regional water supply, especially the pipeline that replaced open channels, have affected water levels and how the lake is used. Through wet years and dry, the club has kept a place on the lake for Horsham's sailors and water sports families.