If you’re looking for a standout experience in Wynnum Manly, booking a sail aboard South Passage should be at the top of your list. This isn’t just any boat ride, it’s a full on, hands on adventure aboard a beautifully restored, traditionally rigged gaff schooner right out of maritime history.
Built in 1993, South Passage spans 100 feet and was purpose built for sail training, especially with young people, schools and community groups in mind. Her home port is Manly and she sails up and down the east coast from Wollongong to Cairns, offering day sails, multi-day voyages and educational adventures.
What makes South Passage especially unique is her immersive “Adventure Under Sail” experience, run by the not-for-profit Sail Training Association of Queensland. There are no winches or modern shortcuts—all sails are handled by hand. As a participant, you’re encouraged to don a harness and climb the rigging, steer the ship or simply ride the bowsprit, feeling the wind and waves in a way most people never will. And if you’d rather sit back and take in the view, that’s totally fine too, it’s your sail.
For locals and visitors alike, this is more than a unique outing. It’s a chance to connect deeply with Wynnum Manly’s maritime roots, feel the power of wind and sea and leave with a memory that lasts far beyond a typical sightseeing stroll.
South Passage – Adventure Under Sail
Shop 8/188 Stratton Terrace, Manly QLD 4179
(07) 3893 3777
southpassage.org.au
