A Brief History
The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club celebrates its
sesquicentenary - the 150th anniversary of its creation - in 2017.
The Club was founded on Tuesday, 15th
October 1867. An advertisement was placed
in The Sydney Morning Herald - “Mosquito
Yacht Club - Boat owners wishing to join please
meet at McGrath’s at 8 tonight.” The advertised
meeting duly took place at Punch & McGraths
Hotel in King Street.
With Mr. T. Strickland in the chair, it was decided
right there and then to form a yacht club to be
called “Prince Alfred Yacht Club”. It seems then,
as now, Club members were in the habit of
getting things done rather than merely talking
about them!
The name Prince Alfred was adopted to
commemorate Prince Alfred’s forthcoming
visit to Sydney. In January 1868, His Royal
Highness, Prince Alfred, The Duke of Edinburgh,
in command of HMS Galatea, sailed into Port
Jackson.
He was met by two lines of yachts from the
Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron and The Prince
Alfred Yacht Club, between which HMS Galatea
passed.
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In August 1911, The Prince Alfred Yacht Club
was given permission by King George V to use
the prefix “Royal”.
The Club originally occupied premises in Moore
Street, Sydney, known today as Martin Place
and it eventually moved into 51 Castlereagh
Street. In 1956, the Club purchased property in
Rowe Street and a new building was built on the
site.
Our ties to our current location date back to
1919, when the Committee decided that Sydney
Harbour was becoming too congested for yacht
racing and a sub-committee was formed to
inspect land that would be suitable for yacht
racing in the Pittwater area.
As a result, Green Point was purchased for
this purpose for an amount of 650 pounds.
The land remained practically unused for many
years, until a group of enthusiasts, who had
built Jubilee class yachts, banded together and
built a boatshed, slipway and pontoon to cater
for their needs. The Governor of New South
Wales, the Honorary Commodore of the Club,
Lord Wakehurst, officially opened the current
premises on 17 December, 1938.