Melboure to Brisbane

[spock01]

Hi All,
Just would like borrow your brains and experience. Has anyone sailed/travel by power boat from Melbourne to Brisbane? What's the weather like in June/July? Any tips on great anchorages along the way? thank you

 

[Peter B]

Hi All,
Just would like borrow your brains and experience. Has anyone sailed/travel by power boat from Melbourne to Brisbane? What's the weather like in June/July? Any tips on great anchorages along the way? thank you

Welcome to the forum, from a fellow Aussie.

Wow, that's one heck of a question you've just asked. Yes, many have done it, and there are many good anchorages along the way. But so much depends on one's experience, vessel involved, how long have you got, and how well you know the coast to be covered..?

I suggest you provide more details re the above, then others who have that personal experience may well chime in.

PS. One who I think has done that route is Aquabelle. However, he does not look in here that often now, so it might pay to search him out and send him a PM = personal message..? I see his last post was here...
https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s3/always-check-your-exhaust-water-49071-3.html#post847262#44

So, click on that link, go into his Details on the left, click on his name, then select 'Send a private message to Aquabelle', then follow the prompts, not forgetting to give your message a title first, before typing the message, or it won't send...

 

[BruceK]

I recently had an Integrity 386 delivered from Melbourne to Sydney. Way beyond my skill set. Took 6 days at under 9 knots. The hard part is leaving Port Melbourne without breaking the boat, and getting to Eden. Alan Lucas has published a book on cruising the NSW coast, maybe further north too. There are refuges between Melbourne and Eden, after that there are plenty of ports.The guy who moved it seemed to know his job, and had a good attitude to preserving and not hammering the boat. They took refuge twice, Batemans Bay and Port Kembla due to conditions. We added radar so they could run at night. There was already an autopilot.
I`d be expecting a series of southerlies, with the usual rotation from NW> W> whammo S. June might better than July. I`m glad we did it in March, not June/July, but you get what you get.

 

[spock01]

Hi Peter,

My boat is 1990 Bayliner 3555 (35 foot twin motor cruizer). I don't know the coast at all, more familiar with my backyard here (Brisbane), but I have 16 days to do it and intend to do small trips (150km max) everyday and wait for good weather conditions if required.

 

[spock01]

Thanks Bruce. Another question to you guys, I've notice that gps (navionics) tries to avoid navigating from ninety mile beach to Lakes entrance because of the oil rigs. Is that prohibited to recreational vessels? Do I need to go around the oil rigs area to get to lakes entrance?

 

[Brisyboy]

We bought our boat from Westernport and I had visions of driving her up the coast until reality set in - not so much about my skill set, but the reality of taking an older boat, with unproven engines and unfamiliar to me out to sea - from Westernport you enter Bass Straight and there are not many places to hide for many miles.
In the end, the sums came out that driving up the coast was cheaper than trucking - but not by much - so she was driven up the Hume Hwy.

After 5 years of ownership- no problems - I have confidence and knowledge of the engines and all systems on board so I would make the trip. I`d pencil in 10 days with a couple of stops and a couple of overnighters

So to answer your questions - about 36hours, overnight at Wagga with several stops for lunch and coffee

Where are you planning to berth your boat? We are at Manly.

 

[Southern Boater]

If the boat is new to you and time is tight, put it on a truck, a 35’er is easy to move.
Don’t underestimate Bass Strait, and getting into Lakes Entrance for fuel with southerlies blowing is for local knowledge skippers.
Bruce’s suggestion of an Alan Lucas publication is very wise, excellent and very thorough knowledge in easy to read and understand format.
If you need range extension, you will need to run at displacement speed, but the boat will roll in anything but calm water.
Once past Gabo Island and away from the confluence of Bass Strait and the Tasman Sea, not far into Eden, and then more casual day trips
Good luck which ever way you choose, but if going by sea, make sure the boat is thoroughly prepared, cheers

 

[BruceK]

I weighed cost and other factors in my "sea or road" Melbourne>Sydney relocation choosing "sea". Consider dismantling(and restoration) cost to lower height, and transit insurance.
If you consider choosing "sea", I can recommend the guys who moved my boat and provide details.
I met an owner who moved a (rare) ?2003 Aussie built f/g Halvorsen 38 (single engine no FB), it can be done.

 

[Southern Boater]

If you do the sea passage option perhaps engage the local Melbourne skipper Bruce suggested, even for the Bass Strait component, and let him off at
Eden, then proceed at your own leisure?
You'll have time to get to know your boat (assuming it's new to you?), with the benefit of the skippers knowledge for the big pre-departure prep.
There are some great places to stop overnight, some involve negotiating barways, and this is where the Alan Lucas pilot book is essential, especially with short daylight hours in winter, making approaches in the dark.
Bermagui, Batemans Bay, Jervis Bay, Port Hacking, the Hawkesbury, Port Stephens, Coffs Harbour, Yamba etc.

I've found ringing ahead to confirm fuel availability and pricing is important, especially weekends and holidays. If possible use a fuel truck, as their fuel is usually fresher and priced cheaper, some of the marina prices are very high, eg Nelson Bay, Port Stephens.

 

[Peter B]

All excellent advice. My Lotus (Clipper 34) made it easily, with no issues, (I'm pleased to say), from Horizon Shores, just North of the Gold Coast, to Newcastle, with the new owner and a couple of sea-savvy friends, but that's the easiest bit. Lots of places to duck into. They made Yamba in one day, which impressed me.

We never got really offshore except one trip right round the outer Moreton Bay Islands, and that took 11 hours steaming at an average of about 7kn, from the Southport Seaway, up the outside and in around Cape Moreton at tip of Moreton Island, around to Tangalooma for the night. That day was calm, and a doddle, but we saw less sea life than one does inside the bay, but in bad weather...hmmm...

 

[Southern Boater]

All excellent advice. My Lotus (Clipper 34) made it easily, with no issues, (I'm pleased to say), from Horizon Shores, just North of the Gold Coast, to Newcastle, with the new owner and a couple of sea-savvy friends, but that's the easiest bit. Lots of places to duck into. They made Yamba in one day, which impressed me.

We never got really offshore except one trip right round the outer Moreton Bay Islands, and that took 11 hours steaming at an average of about 7kn, from the Southport Seaway, up the outside and in around Cape Moreton at tip of Moreton Island, around to Tangalooma for the night. That day was calm, and a doddle, but we saw less sea life than one does inside the bay, but in bad weather...hmmm...

I also had a Clipper 34 (CHB) Mk3 Peter, an excellent boat. Motored to southern Tasmania from Hawkesbury originally and did many coastal cruises with the previous owners. Eventually went to Mooloolaba then back to Bris/Gold Coast area, had a fortune spent on many upgrades over the years.

 

[Peter B]

I also had a Clipper 34 (CHB) Mk3 Peter, an excellent boat. Motored to southern Tasmania from Hawkesbury originally and did many coastal cruises with the previous owners. Eventually went to Mooloolaba then back to Bris/Gold Coast area, had a fortune spent on many upgrades over the years.

Ain't that the truth - for any boat really. I really miss Lotus, but living here now on Bribie Island comes close to almost living on a boat, but with none of the worries, and selling her has done wonders for my bank balance..!

 

[BruceK]

There are still Clipper 34s plying our waters, both private and hire fleet boats. We hired one many years ago. Looks like they will last forever.

 

[Southern Boater]

Ain't that the truth - for any boat really. I really miss Lotus, but living here now on Bribie Island comes close to almost living on a boat, but with none of the worries, and selling her has done wonders for my bank balance..!

The folks we sold ours to (which I thought was is lovely condition) stripped her interior completely, granite bench tops, leather upholstery, bow thruster, epoxy bottom, new covers, electronics etc.
Sold it after five years in Qld, new owners then did exactly the same thing again!
It is a perfect retirement size boat.

 

[BrisHamish]

To the OP,

I have done Brisbane to Sydney several times. I aim to cruise at 15kn average, no overnights, on the way down I depart from the Gold Coast and then stop first at Coffs Harbour marina, then next night at either Nelson Bay or Newcastle depending on how far I get that day (weather, tides etc) and then in to Broken Bay or Sydney.

All of those places have proper marinas with fuel wharves and all the stuff you might need to pick up.

Hamish.

 

[Andy G]

To continue the Clipper 34 hijack/love in , Our last boat was a 34 Mk1 Clipper. I also spent a number of years at a marina on Coal & Candle creek. The hire fleet there was almost exclusively Clipper 34's and ran by a bloke that ran a very tight ship. Heaven help the customer that didn't follow the rules.

Our Clipper ended up going to Queensland by road. I had a PM a while ago on the forum from a new owner who bought the old girl from the bloke I sold it to. Still going strong after all these years. The only thing that can sink those boats is the owner going bankrupt.

Coming back to spok01's original post, read Southern Boater's post #7 very carefully, given you said you don't know the waters down there.

 

[Southern Boater]

To continue the Clipper 34 hijack/love in , Our last boat was a 34 Mk1 Clipper. I also spent a number of years at a marina on Coal & Candle creek. The hire fleet there was almost exclusively Clipper 34's and ran by a bloke that ran a very tight ship. Heaven help the customer that didn't follow the rules.

Our Clipper ended up going to Queensland by road. I had a PM a while ago on the forum from a new owner who bought the old girl from the bloke I sold it to. Still going strong after all these years. The only thing that can sink those boats is the owner going bankrupt.

Coming back to spok01's original post, read Southern Boater's post #7 very carefully, given you said you don't know the waters down there.

Ah yes, the Akuna Bay marina, she was the state of the art fantasy land for boaters in the 80's, this and Runaway Bay in Qld had the dry stack for smaller boats. As you mentioned, the epicentre for the Clipper hire fleet.
Looking a bit tired these days, but I still go for a visit when in Sydney.

On the delivery skipper thing, a good reliable one is worth a recommendation to others. I'm still hearing of examples where a skipper has basically abandoned the owners boat at a port enroute for various reasons, leaving the owner to either find another skipper or bring it home themselves.

 

[BruceK]

Ah yes, the Akuna Bay marina, she was the state of the art fantasy land for boaters in the 80's, this and Runaway Bay in Qld had the dry stack for smaller boats. As you mentioned, the epicentre for the Clipper hire fleet.
Looking a bit tired these days, but I still go for a visit when in Sydney.

On the delivery skipper thing, a good reliable one is worth a recommendation to others. I'm still hearing of examples where a skipper has basically abandoned the owners boat at a port enroute for various reasons, leaving the owner to either find another skipper or bring it home themselves.

Akuna Bay marina was sold along with the other D`Albora Marinas. Lots of changes and unhappy boat owners.
The guys I used told me if they got stuck with weather on the way to Eden they might leave the boat and bus it back home rather than sit and charge daily fees until things improved. They waited for what looked like a good window, and went. Whimsical sense of humour, they pretended to be stuck in Batemans Bay,then phoned describing the weather in Sydney Harbour, from near the Pyrmont fish markets and Super Yacht Marina. Early next day we met them at our marina berth on the Hawkesbury. The broker arranged them, I didn`t meet them until the job was done. Odd, but I came to trust the broker. His choice of mover was sound.

 

[Southern Boater]

Akuna Bay marina was sold along with the other D`Albora Marinas. Lots of changes and unhappy boat owners.
The guys I used told me if they got stuck with weather on the way to Eden they might leave the boat and bus it back home rather than sit and charge daily fees until things improved. They waited for what looked like a good window, and went. Whimsical sense of humour, they pretended to be stuck in Batemans Bay,then phoned describing the weather in Sydney Harbour, from near the Pyrmont fish markets and Super Yacht Marina. Early next day we met them at our marina berth on the Hawkesbury. The broker arranged them, I didn`t meet them until the job was done. Odd, but I came to trust the broker. His choice of mover was sound.

Once out of Port Phillip heads you have 100 nm to Wilson’s Prom, another 100 to Lakes Entrance (the only place with a decent marina to leave the boat in safety), another 100 nm to Gabo Island before the turn north to Eden, another 30 nm.
The fickle part will be Bass Strait with its shallow water, big tides, fast flowing currents and potential wind against tide, often ugliest at the confluence of the Strait as it converges with the Tasman Sea and the East Australian current.
It’s always best to get the widest weather window of course, but get the Strait done with ASAP and treat the NSW coast as the cruise part.