Leg 4: The Australian Coast-to-Coast

Leg Summary

Leg 4 offers diverse conditions, from towering swells to tropical squalls . The route starts off the West Coast of Australia then heads down towards the Roaring Forties, one of the most remote parts of the world.

Start
West Australia
Finish
East Australia
Stages
2
Distance
3400mi/6,500km
Days at sea
19
Temp
5°C - 30°C

What to expect

  • Experience diverse sailing conditions

  • Celebrate Christmas and New Year at sea

  • Round the iconic Cape Leeuwin

  • Sail through some of the southernmost latitudes of the route

  • Explore Australia both on land and at sea

The Australian Coast-to-Coast Leg offers some of the most diverse conditions of the entire Clipper Race circumnavigation.

After soaking up the Western Australian sunshine, it’s only a matter of days before teams round the southwestern tip of Australia, Cape Leeuwin, heading into the higher southern latitudes and facing its cold temperatures and tough conditions. Huge rolling swells, strong winds and fast, downwind sailing become a feature as the fleet races around the base of Tasmania, tracking the furthest south of the entire circumnavigation.

Once clear of Tasmania, teams are not out of the woods. Ocean swells, changeable breezes and strong currents along the eastern coast of Australia keep teams on their toes as they sail towards the tropical north of the country. This section will be highly tactical and sweaty, with plenty of sail changes making for action-packed watches.

Sailing aside, a highlight of Leg 4 is spending Christmas and seeing in the New Year at sea. Far from home, with crew mates as their family, these unique Christmases may be different from the norm but are certainly ones for the memory book. Christmas carolling, presents, full roast dinners cooked in the galley, messages from home and even visits from Santa Claus! Race Crew pull out all the stops for the festivities.

For those looking to complete a Clipper Race leg, this particular one can be a great option for crew who want to maximise paid time off from work, as the racing takes place during the festive season.

Sailing around Australia | Coast-to-coast | Leg 4 of the Clipper Race

Previously Visited

New ports are coming soon for the 2025-26 edition! Stay tuned for updates as we announce both legacy and new destinations that Race Crew will discover on the global route.

2023-2024 edition

Newcastle

Australia

Newcastle is a bustling coastal city with everything from stunning beaches and street art to iconic ocean baths, cool cafés and designer hotels.

Newcastle or ‘Newie’ as it’s affectionately known is Australia’s second oldest city and is located just a two-hour drive north of Sydney.

Aerial view overlooking the stunning turquoise waters and white sands of the Hill Inlet and Togue Bay in the Whitsundays

2023-2024 edition

Whitsundays

Australia

An unmatched paradise, this archipelago of tropical islands is home to perfect beaches and brimming with wildlife.

A stunning collection of 74 islands in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef makes up the tropical wonder that is the Whitsundays. Host Port Airlie Beach is the gateway to these beautiful islands.

Prices starting from £7,000

Build your race

Clipper 2025-26 Race: £7,000 // Clipper 2027-28 Race: £7,295

Race Legs

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Leg 1

The Atlantic Trade Winds

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Leg 2

The South Atlantic Challenge

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Leg 3

The Roaring Forties

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Leg 4

Australian Coast-to-Coast

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Leg 5

The Asia-Pacific Challenge

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Leg 6

The Mighty Pacific

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Leg 7

Americas Coast-to-coast

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Leg 8

The Atlantic Homecoming

Clipper 2023-24 Race Crew member standing on deck during night with one hand on winch and the other on her hip.Link arrow

Full Circumnavigation

FAQs

Find answers to commonly asked questions...

The time you will need varies from leg to leg. The durations quoted on our “Build Your Race” section of the website and in the information pack, are for the approximate number of sailing days, so you will need to factor in additional time at each end of your leg and also any Host Port stopovers within the leg itself. Legs 2, 3 and 4 were the shortest in the 2023-24 edition at approximately four to five weeks and most of the other legs are between six to eight weeks.

Around 30% of crew members on each team will have done little or no sailing before they train with us. Others will have a range of sailing experience which might be dinghy sailing, flotilla holidays or crew with further advanced RYA qualifications and possibly experience of looking after their own boat. The one thing you will all have in common is that you’re looking to take part in a unique challenge, test your limits and find out if you have what it takes to traverse the oceans of the world.