Port Augusta Yacht Club

Port Augusta Yacht Club is at 1 El Alamein Road, Port Augusta, at the very head of Spencer Gulf. It's affiliated with Australian Sailing and has a modern clubhouse, and visiting cruising sailors have been able to arrange hot showers there.

The club is part of an upper-gulf sailing tradition shared with Port Pirie and Whyalla. The three towns are linked by the Tripolis race, a three-day event whose perpetual trophy carries names going back to 1970. Port Augusta is the northernmost port on the gulf, known as the crossroads of Australia, and visiting yachts that make it this far are rewarded with a view of the Flinders Ranges from the water.

A South Australian anchorage guide has noted that the club no longer organises regular sailing, so the best way to check what's on is the club's Facebook page or a call on (08) 8641 3355. See our Port Augusta sailing clubs page and Port Augusta page for more.

Port Augusta Yacht Club doesn't publish a regular training program, and a South Australian anchorage guide has noted that the club no longer organises regular sailing. If you're keen to sail in the upper Spencer Gulf, check the club's Facebook page for anything current, or look to nearby clubs: Whyalla Yacht Club and Royal Port Pirie Yacht Club both run sailing programs.

Royal Port Pirie's come-and-try days and sailing school are the nearest structured option for beginners, and the Tripolis race is a great way for experienced sailors to explore the upper gulf with other crews. For formal courses, browse sailing courses on YouSail.

The clubhouse is on El Alamein Road in Port Augusta, at the head of Spencer Gulf. The upper gulf is narrow and fairly sheltered, and it's known for strong tidal flows and shallow areas that call for careful navigation. Cruising yachts visiting Port Augusta have been able to arrange showers at the club.

Tides are the key factor this far up the gulf. The narrowing channel concentrates the flow, so timing arrivals and departures with the tide makes a real difference. Mangroves and mudflats line much of the upper gulf, and the Flinders Ranges rise behind the town. See our FAQs on tidal streams and local winds in SA and crossing Spencer Gulf.

Port Augusta Yacht Club has been part of the upper Spencer Gulf sailing scene alongside the clubs at Port Pirie and Whyalla. The three towns have been linked by the Tripolis race, a multi-day event that runs from Port Augusta to Port Pirie, then from Port Pirie to Whyalla, and finally from Whyalla back to Port Augusta. The perpetual Tripolis trophy carries names from as early as 1970.

The race has always been a team effort between the three clubs. Since 1982 the Port Pirie motorboat Turtle has provided support for the fleet, one of the long-standing volunteer contributions that keep upper-gulf sailing going. For Port Augusta's sailors, the Tripolis has been a chance to race the length of the upper gulf and catch up with neighbouring clubs.