Located on the western side of Lake Macquarie in Regatta Park, Toronto Amateur Sailing Club (TASC) is a community-minded club with a goal to foster and encourage sailing in their local region.

Recently named as the Australian Sailing Club of the Year (Category B), TASC has been at their current location since the mid-seventies when it was built by passionate volunteers on partly reclaimed land, using only materials supplied or donated by locals.

For TASC Commodore Evan McHugh, the recognition is not just a credit to their team and club volunteers but to all the clubs in their local area.

“One of the things that makes us successful is that we are part of an entire network of little clubs in our region,” said McHugh at the recent Australian Sailing Awards.

“We work closely with several clubs to host and co-host a variety of quality events that bring people not just to our club but to our region more generally.

“We really are the sum of our parts, and being part of that group of small clubs really is a privilege. To be recognised as the Club of the Year by Australian Sailing, that accolade really does extend to them too,” he said.

TASC has proactively taken action over the past two seasons to grow membership numbers and increase participation, both directly in club membership numbers and course participation. 

Club members sail centreboard dinghies of various sizes, and McHugh notes everyone is welcome to sail from the club. 

“For us, when we get to see people come out and really enjoy their sailing on Lake Macquarie, that’s everything we could ask for,” he said.

“At our club, our sailors take part in a diverse range of ways and through a diverse range of classes; we don’t have any restrictions in that sense and love to welcome new people to Lake Macquarie.

“It’s also great when we have sailors who have achieved really great things at a state, national, and even international level say how fantastic it is to see our events doing so well. 

“They say how incredible it is that sailing is thriving on Lake Macquarie, because that’s really what it’s there for.”

To find out more about TASC, click here.