Queenscliffe Maritime Museum

14/10/2026

Learn more about HMAS Goorangai, the first Royal Australian Navy ship lost in World War II. On 20 November 1940, she sank in Port Phillip following a collision with the passenger ship MV Duntroon, with the loss of all 24 crew members. The story of this tragic event is on display at the Queenscliffe Maritime Museum.

⛵ HMAS Goorangai Memorial Trophy Race & Eliza Ramsden Trophy

Join us for a special sailing event celebrating maritime history, camaraderie and the spirit of competition on Port Phillip Bay!

Hosted in collaboration with Royal Brighton Yacht Club and Queenscliff Cruising Yacht Club, this event honours the memory of HMAS Goorangai and those who lost their lives in service.

🏆 Eliza Ramsden Trophy — recognising and celebrating female helms in sailing. We particularly encourage women sailors to get involved!

Whether you're racing, crewing or supporting fellow sailors, we look forward to welcoming you to this important event.

Find the event details, Notice of Race and entry information on the QCYC website.

🌐 https://queenscliffcruisingyachtclub.org/events/hmas-goorangai-memorial-trophy-race-2026

We look forward to seeing you on the water!

05/10/2026

LOOKING TOWARD FRIDAY — TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE!

Restored by Queenscliffe Maritime Museum volunteers, the original binoculars from the Shortland Bluff lookout offer a tangible link to our maritime past. Through these lenses, ships, pilots and vessels once approached the treacherous waters of The Rip.

Join us this Friday for Dinner with an Admiral, featuring Vice Admiral David Shackleton AO, RAN (Retd), former Chief of Navy. Hear stories from his distinguished career while enjoying dinner and conversation.

Friday 9 October | 6:00pm
360Q, Queenscliff | $99 per person

Your attendance supports the Queenscliffe Maritime Museum and its work preserving our maritime heritage.

Tickets are still available — book now via the link in the comments.

04/10/2026

The story behind QCYC: From a need for safe harbour to a Queenscliff sailing tradition spanning more than 60 years.

⚓️ DID YOU KNOW? — THE STORY BEHIND QCYC

QCYC began with a problem that sailors needed to solve.

In the early 1960s, yachtsmen sailing at the southern end of Port Phillip had been able to use a Navy-controlled wharf at Swan Island. But when the Army took over the island in 1961, that access came to an end.

Sailors needed another place to berth near the Heads.

So a group of yachtsmen from clubs around Port Phillip came together with an idea: create a cruising base at Queenscliff — somewhere sailors could find safe harbour, meet fellow sailors, or prepare to venture beyond the Heads. ⛵️

That idea became Queenscliff Cruising Yacht Club.

QCYC was formally established in 1963, and our early members didn’t simply join a club — they built one. The clubhouse was constructed through the efforts of members themselves and opened in 1964.

More than six decades later, that same volunteer spirit is still part of QCYC.

Different boats. Different generations. Same extraordinary place.

📖 Curious to know more about QCYC’s history? Read the full story here: https://websites.mygameday.app/get_file.cgi?id=35635384&utm_source=chatgpt.com

04/10/2026

THE SEA CONNECTS US ALL

Point Lonsdale and Queenscliff glowed blue for World Maritime Day, joining 135 locations around the world in celebrating our shared connection to the sea.

We took the celebrations a step further with SEA-TEMBER, inviting our community to celebrate our maritime connection through the Top 10 Sea Songs and Top 5 Sea Books.

Whether your connection to the sea is generational or newly discovered, come and explore our rich maritime story—and the waters that connect us all.

View the World Maritime Day photographs:

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Volunteer with the Queenscliffe Maritime Museum and help keep our maritime story alive.

Photo Australia House London

03/10/2026

HMAS BRISBANE

Dinner with an Admiral

In 1991, Vice Admiral David Shackleton AO, RAN (Retd) took command of HMAS Brisbane, one of the Royal Australian Navy’s Charles F. Adams-class guided-missile destroyers.

His distinguished naval career included service in Vietnam. He was later promoted to vice admiral and ultimately served as Chief of Navy.

Join us for Dinner with an Admiral at 360Q, Queenscliff, for an engaging evening of naval history, personal experiences and insights from Vice Admiral Shackleton.

Friday 9 October 2026 6:00pm 360Q, Queenscliff

$99 per person

Your evening includes dinner, a drink on arrival and a cheese platter.

By attending, you’ll help the Queenscliffe Maritime Museum preserve and share Australia’s rich maritime history.

Bookings are essential — see the link in the comments.

All photographs courtesy of the Department of Defence: HMAS Brisbane.

03/10/2026

QMM FUNDRAISER AUCTION

QMM President Kerri Erler with Darren Allbutt and Colossus

Place your bid on Colossus – The Great White Shark, a stunning carving by Darren Allbutt, created from a fallen messmate log sourced from Eildon, Victoria.

We sincerely thank Darren for his generosity and support of the Queenscliffe Maritime Museum.

Certificate of Authenticity included
Item No. DA 012 | Dated 2 October 2026

Bids start at $1,200.

Your bid will support the Queenscliffe Maritime Museum and its work preserving our maritime heritage.

The winning bid will be announced at our annual fundraiser dinner:

DINNER WITH AN ADMIRAL

Friday, 9 October 2026
360Q, Queenscliff Harbour
Starts at 6:00 pm

Join us for an inspiring evening featuring Vice Admiral David Shackleton AO, RAN (Retd), former Chief of Navy. Enjoy dinner, hear from one of Australia’s senior naval leaders and support the Queenscliffe Maritime Museum.

Auction bidding and dinner details are available via the links in the comments.

03/10/2026

Experience The Rip from the Water – Annual Rip Tour 2027

The very popular annual Rip Tour is a practical on-water training event for the boating community where experienced offshore navigators share information on how and when to transit The Rip safely. You can read a book, diagrams and marine charts, but seeing The Rip from the water with expert guidance is different.

The 2027 tour departs Queenscliff at 1pm on Sunday, March 21st 2027 on Searoadferries MV Peninsula Princess. Book now or gift an experience to a family member or friend! 🎁

Book your spot and find further information https://ow.ly/wbCb50R3NV2.

Photo Christopher Howe
Royal Geelong Yacht Club Royal Yacht Club of Victoria Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron (RMYS) Royal Brighton Yacht Club Royal Victoria Yacht Club Sandringham Yacht Club Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron Mount Martha Yacht Club Safety Beach Sailing Club
Queenscliff Cruising Yacht Club

01/10/2026

HMAS DERWENT — a proud ship of the Royal Australian Navy.

HMAS Derwent was a River-class destroyer es**rt that served with the Royal Australian Navy from 1964 to 1994.

Vice Admiral David Shackleton AO, RAN (Retd) commanded Derwent from May 1988 to August 1989, an important chapter in his distinguished naval career. During his command, Derwent received the Gloucester Cup for operational performance.

At Dinner with an Admiral, hear firsthand about his command of Derwent, his service in Vietnam, his leadership of two ships and his journey to becoming Chief of Navy.

Friday 9 October 2026 | 6:00pm
360Q, Queenscliff | $99 per person

Join us for an evening of naval stories and personal insights, supporting the Queenscliffe Maritime Museum.

Bookings: see the link in the comments.

Photo courtesy of the Department of Defence — HMAS Derwent.

01/10/2026

BREAKING NEWS! BENITO’S LOST PIRATE TREASURE

The Queenscliff Escape Room is open every day throughout the school holidays.

Can your crew solve the clues, unlock the mysteries and recover Benito’s lost pirate treasure before time runs out?

Whether you’re taking on the challenge for the first time or returning after last year’s adventure, there’s an all-new pirate quest waiting to be conquered.

Perfect for families, friends, grandparents and holidaymakers, it’s a great school holiday adventure on the Bellarine.

Book your adventure today — link in the comments.

For bespoke group games, birthday parties or private bookings, email:

[email protected]

Tag your crew and tell us who you’d trust to help you find the lost pirate treasure!

01/10/2026

Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale light up blue for World Maritime Day