RAN Tall Ship Young Endeavour to take young Territorians on sailing ‘journey of self-discovery’

The Royal Australian Navy operated tall ships provides training voyages for young Australians, and is currently completing a circumnavigation of the country.

Young Endeavour sails from Sydney Harbour to embark on its final voyage around Australia. Picture: ABIS Lauren Pugsley / Department of Defence

Young Territorians will get the nautical chance of a lifetime as a navy-operated youth development training vessel sails into the Top End.

The Sail Training Ship Young Endeavour provides young Australians aged 16-23 the chance to spend 11 days at sea with Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander Andrew Leupen and nine Royal Australian Navy crew, on what LCDR Leupen calls “voyages of discovery and adventure”.

“It’s really all about building confidence, self-awareness, leadership and followership skills in those young Australians so that when they leave our ship and they return back into Australian society and transition into their adult lives, they’re better prepared and I’d like to think that they send ripples of positive energy back out into the community,” LCDR Leupen told the NT News.

Commanding Officer STS Young Endeavour, Lieutenant Commander Andrew Leupen addresses the ship's youth crew and families on the first day of their voyage at Fleet Base East, Sydney. Picture: ABIS Lauren Pugsley / Department of Defence

“We get all kinds of young Australians from all over the country; you don’t need to have any sail training experience, you don’t need to know anything about the Navy or life at sea, we will literally take you through it from day one and prepare you and train you.”

Each voyage of the Young Endeavour includes a day where the navy crew and LCDR Leupen hand command of the ship to a team elected by the youth crew, who then have to conduct a series of tasks given to them.

Spots are still open for the two voyages due to depart from Darwin, the first leaving on June 11.

While most voyages are between two different locales, the first Darwin voyage will return back to the Top End on June 21, before the second voyage, heading for Broome, departs on June 27.

STS Young Endeavour alongside HMAS Cairns for the open day as part of Navy Week 2025. Picture: LSIS Jarrod Mulvihill / Department of Defence

“Berths are available for young Australians 16 to 23 on all of our voyages around the country so if anyone wants to get involved then they just need to jump on youngendeavor.gov.au select a port to port that appeals to them and hit that apply now button,” LCDR Leupen said.

For LCDR Leupen, the most rewarding part of the experience is seeing the youth crew bond together over their 11 days at sea.

“We’re really truly about the altruism of just trying to take these young Australians on a journey of self-discovery so that they learn something about themselves.”

“We talk about community, we talk about giving back to the community, we talk about country and links to country.”

“I’m just hoping that when they leave here they take those little nuggets of wisdom and they send that ripple effect out into the Australian society.”

The current circumnavigation of Australia that Young Endeavour is undertaking will be its last, with the 37-year-old ship due to be retired and replaced by the state-of-the-art Young Endeavour II in 2026.

“It’s bittersweet because she’s got such a traditional legacy, but the new ship is currently being built in Port Macquarie,” LCDR Leupen said.

The crew of the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme in Brisbane. Picture: MAJ Carolyn Barnett / Department of Defence

“She’s going to be significantly larger, she’s going to be state-of-the-art, and it’s the first time a tall ship’s been built in Australia in over 30 years.”

“So whilst it’s sad to see Young Endeavour go, it’s also exciting to welcome into the fleet the new ship.”

Young Territorians wanting to embark on the “voyage of a lifetime” on Young Endeavour can apply online at youngendeavour.gov.au.

For those wanting to see the innards of the ship without going to sea, the Young Endeavour will host a public open day on June 22 in Darwin.

Originally published as RAN Tall Ship Young Endeavour to take young Territorians on sailing ‘journey of self-discovery’