Making of a legend

The remarkable STS Young Endeavour (I) was constructed in 1986-87 in Lowestoft, England, and embarked on her maiden voyage to Australia on 3 August 1987. Crewed by 12 young Australians, 12 British youth and a merchant navy crew, the ship arrived in Perth late that year, then sailed around the southern coast of Australia to Sydney where she was formally presented to the Australian people in Sydney Harbour on 25 January 1988.

From that time on, Young Endeavour (I) has delivered a world class sail training program developed by the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme, embarking crews of 24 young Australians for voyages along the Australian coast. The ship has circumnavigated Australia four times and undertaken two world circumnavigations.

Her mission is to provide experiential learning at sea, focused on personal development through the Young Endeavour Youth Development Program which equips participants with the communication skills, aptitude and resilience skills required at sea – skills that are transferable to everyday life and careers.

Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) Andrew Leupen, said the final docking in Hobart was a nostalgic and exciting milestone in the ship’s storied life.

“It’s the end of an era for a ship that has shaped the lives of generations of young Australians,” he commented, adding that he has witnessed incredible transformations in young crew.

Each person changes in a different way, but the common denominator is they all change,” he said. “They learn how to look after each other and keep each other safe, and they have a bit of fun doing it.”

Alongside the practical skills of sailing, the program encourages participants to develop skills in teamwork, leadership and confidence.

“I spend a lot of time talking to them about being kind, particularly if you’re tired under pressure doing something that you don’t know how to do because that’s scary,” LCDR Leupen shared.

“If you’re kind, and you look after the person next to you, you’ll get a good outcome.”

The response from the communities they have visited on the final circumnavigation has been tremendous, he continued.

“Everywhere we’ve sailed on this circumnavigation, we’ve met people who shared stories of their voyage, whether it was 30 years ago or just last year.

For our youth crew, sailing around Australia has been a chance to learn a little bit about themselves, what they are capable of and just how resilient they really are. While this may be the ship’s final circumnavigation, her spirit of adventure and leadership development will live on in the next vessel,” he said.

STS Young Endeavour (I) will continue to sail in 2026, with final voyages planned along the east coast of Australia before the ship is retired and replaced by next generation STS Young Endeavour II.

LCDR Leupen said the program’s next chapter will build on a proud legacy.

“The new vessel will give more young Australians the chance to embark on this once-in-a-lifetime journey.

“Those of us who have sailed in Young Endeavour (I) will always know we were part of something truly special; this ship has been more than steel and sails, she’s been a classroom, a challenge, and a home to thousands.”

The new sail training ship will be built in Australia over the next three years. It will be a barquentine rig, with square sails rigged on the foremast and fore-and-aft sails rigged on the fore, main and mizzen masts.

With accommodation for up to 42 crew on each voyage, it will be capable of more voyages per year, meaning more young people will be able to access this unique program.

Over a 30-year life the vessel will have capacity to embark tens of thousands of young people to participate in the world-recognised Young Endeavour Youth Development Program, and a similar number of youth to participate in Community Day Sails around Australia.

Australian shipbuilder Birdon will construct the replacement ship in Port Macquarie, New South Wales, to a state-of-the-art barquentine design by esteemed Dutch design studio, Dykstra Naval Architects.

Birdon has worked with Dykstra on the core vessel design, and will also have responsibility for the design, engineering, and integration of the vessel’s systems, including mechanical, electrical, propulsion, communication and navigation systems.

Located on the Hastings River, Port Macquarie with a slipway for vessels up to 50-metres and 1,000 tonne drydock for vessels up to 75-metres, Birdon has been engaged to build the fleet of 15 Australian Army Amphibious Vehicles – Logistics (AV‑L) which operate as deep‑sea vessels and on-road vehicles as part of a landmark $125 million defence contract. It also designs and builds commercial projects, specialised high-speed vessels, waterjet propulsion systems, autonomous and remote control vessels, and subsea mine countermeasure systems.

Like Young Endeavour (I), the new ship will be steel hulled, with timber deck tops, and rigging comprising aluminium masts and spars. Crew can look forward to an array of mod-cons on board, such as improved stability and air conditioning throughout the ship.

According to Stephen Moss CSC, Executive Director Young Endeavour Youth Scheme, “The Young Endeavour Program is an investment in Australia’s youth, helping participants develop life skills and reach their full potential”.

Since 1988 the Royal Australian Navy has operated, maintained and crewed the sail training ship Young Endeavour on behalf of the Commonwealth – ensuring that voyages, while physically and mentally challenging, are conducted with the highest regard to safety.”

The acquisition of a replacement for Young Endeavour (I) is part of the Australian Government’s continuous naval shipbuilding program. Young Endeavour (I) will remain in service until delivery of the replacement vessel.

Navy will continue to operate the new vessel under the Australian White Ensign, with a larger, dedicated staff crew – delivering the highly acclaimed Young Endeavour youth development program for the next generation of Australian youth.

The Young Endeavour Youth Scheme is accepting applications from Australians aged 16 to 23. Financial assistance is available for eligible participants.

youngendeavour.gov.au