2 min read · Updated 5 July 2026
Geelong sailing centres on Corio Bay and the Royal Geelong Yacht Club — home of the Festival of Sails, the Southern Hemisphere's largest annual keelboat regatta. On the western shore of Port Phillip, it combines accessible bay sailing with one of the country's great regatta traditions.
The venue
Corio Bay is the enclosed bay at the western end of Port Phillip, right in front of the city of Geelong. Its sheltered, relatively shallow water makes it safe and accessible for fleets of all sizes, while its enclosed nature tends to produce shifty, pressure-driven, tactical racing where reading the wind and local knowledge count. Because the racing happens in front of the city, it is a rare keelboat venue where spectators can watch from shore.
The club
The Royal Geelong Yacht Club (RGYC), on the Geelong foreshore, is the region's leading club. Its regatta history traces to the first Geelong Regatta of 1844; the club was formed in 1859 and granted its Royal Warrant in 1924. It runs keelboat, one-design and dinghy racing on Corio Bay and is a broad, welcoming club with a strong pathway from juniors to championship sailors.
The racing
The region's signature event is the Festival of Sails — a large keelboat regatta paired with a free public waterfront festival over the Australia Day long weekend each January. It draws a fleet that regularly exceeds 300 yachts, opens with the historic Melbourne to Geelong Passage Race, and is the standout summer fixture on the Victorian calendar. Club, twilight and dinghy racing fill out the rest of the year.
Getting involved
The Royal Geelong Yacht Club runs learn-to-sail courses, youth programs and crewing opportunities, and Geelong's closeness to Melbourne makes it easy to reach. See our guides to getting into sailing in Australia and joining a yacht racing crew, and our guide to sailing in Melbourne and Port Phillip for the wider bay. The sailing terms glossary covers the vocabulary of the sport.
Frequently asked questions
- Where do people sail in Geelong?
- Geelong sailing centres on Corio Bay, the enclosed bay at the western end of Port Phillip, right in front of the city. The Royal Geelong Yacht Club, on the Geelong waterfront, is the hub of the local scene. Corio Bay's sheltered, relatively shallow water produces shifty, tactical racing and hosts everything from club and dinghy racing to the huge Festival of Sails regatta.
- What is the main yacht club in Geelong?
- The Royal Geelong Yacht Club (RGYC), on the Geelong foreshore, is the region's leading club. Its regatta history traces to the first Geelong Regatta of 1844, and the club was formed in 1859 and granted its Royal Warrant in 1924. It runs keelboat, one-design and dinghy racing on Corio Bay and organises the Festival of Sails.
- What is the Festival of Sails?
- The Festival of Sails is a large keelboat regatta and free public waterfront festival held on Corio Bay over the Australia Day long weekend each January, organised by the Royal Geelong Yacht Club. Described as the Southern Hemisphere's largest annual keelboat regatta, it draws a fleet that regularly exceeds 300 yachts and opens with the historic Melbourne to Geelong Passage Race.
- What is Corio Bay like to sail on?
- Corio Bay is a relatively enclosed, shallow arm at the western end of Port Phillip. Its sheltered water makes it accessible and safe for fleets of all sizes, while the shallow, enclosed nature of the bay tends to produce shifty, pressure-driven racing where reading the wind and local knowledge count. Its position in front of the city also makes it a rare keelboat venue where spectators can watch the racing from shore.
- How do you get into sailing in Geelong?
- The Royal Geelong Yacht Club runs learn-to-sail courses, junior and youth programs and crewing opportunities on Corio Bay, and the region's proximity to Melbourne makes it easy to reach. Joining the club and putting your name down as crew is the simplest way to start, with the sheltered bay providing accessible conditions for beginners.