Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race takes place Starts Dec 26, 2026 at 13:00 (81st edition) in Sydney, Australia. The dress code is Casual summer clothing on the foreshore with sun hat, sunscreen and a windproof layer for a breezy harbour; spectator-boat and CYCA hospitality lean smart casual. Free to attend; budget up to 700 EUR per person for hospitality and extras.
One of the toughest offshore races in the sport, starting at 1pm on Sydney Harbour every Boxing Day and finishing 628 nautical miles south in Hobart after crossing the notorious Bass Strait. Run by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia since 1945, it draws a fleet of around a hundred boats and stops the country for an afternoon. The harbour headlands fill with spectators for the spinnaker start, and Constitution Dock in Hobart becomes an all-night arrivals party for the following week.
- When
- Starts Dec 26, 2026 at 13:00 (81st edition)
- Where
- Sydney, Australia
- Dress code
- Casual summer clothing on the foreshore with sun hat, sunscreen and a windproof layer for a breezy harbour; spectator-boat and CYCA hospitality lean smart casual
- Cost
- Free to attend; budget up to 700 EUR per person for hospitality and extras.
- Weather
- 22 - 27C, warm and often humid with sea breezes and the chance of a southerly change
- When to book
- Book spectator-boat charters 6 to 8 weeks out and Sydney accommodation over Christmas 6 months out; arrive at free viewpoints by mid-morning
- Getting there
- SYD (Sydney), about 30 min to the harbour foreshore viewpoints
- Where to stay
- Park Hyatt Sydney, Pier One Sydney Harbour, Ovolo Woolloomooloo
- Official site
- https://www.rolexsydneyhobart.com/
How to attend
The best free vantage points - South Head, Nielsen Park, Watsons Bay, the Bradleys Head and Georges Head foreshore, and Mrs Macquaries Point - fill from early morning, so bring a picnic and claim a spot. For the water, Boxing Day spectator cruises run by operators including Captain Cook Cruises and Sydney Tall Ships sell out weeks ahead and are the only way to follow the fleet out through the Heads. In Hobart, Constitution Dock and the Taste of Summer festival are open to everyone and are where the finishers actually celebrate.
Watching the Boxing Day start from the harbour foreshore is free with no ticket; the only paid option is a spectator cruise sold separately by commercial boat operators.
Insider tip
Everyone crowds Mrs Macquaries Point, but South Head and the Bradleys Head foreshore put you where the fleet turns for the open sea under full spinnaker - a far better view for the same price of nothing.
Get inside Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
Booking matters here: book spectator-boat charters 6 to 8 weeks out and Sydney accommodation over Christmas 6 months out; arrive at free viewpoints by mid-morning. Members track that window, what it really costs, and 573 more events across the season.
Free while in beta. One email when your invitation is ready, nothing else.