"You may leave Young Endeavour, but Young Endeavour will never leave you."
For more than three decades, that quote has resonated with the roughly 15,000 young Australians who have joined the Navy crew to sail this iconic tall ship.
Sail Training Ship (STS) Young Endeavour was recently in Fremantle, Western Australia, for the first time in nearly a decade, midway through its last circumnavigation of the country.
The ship departed Sydney on April 2 for the seven-month voyage, which includes 12 port visits, giving more than 300 young Australians the chance to experience life at sea and the personal transformation that often comes with it.
Commanding Officer Young Endeavour Lieutenant Commander Andrew Leupen said the ship's mission had always been about young people.
"We take them to sea, outside of their comfort zone," Lieutenant Commander Leupen said.
"We teach them new skills, focus on teamwork, communication and leadership, and we instil community values."
Lieutenant Commander Leupen said the program's impact could be measured in generations, with alumni from the 1980s and 1990s now sending their own children on board.
"There's no better referral than a parent holding on to that memory for 16 to 18 years, then providing that same experience to their child," Lieutenant Commander Leupen said.
"I like to say that we're changing young Australians' lives one voyage at a time, and I truly believe it."
'There's something truly special about Young Endeavour's ability to turn strangers into friends, friends into family, weaknesses into strengths and self-doubt into confidence.'
Former youth crew member Hollie Tarran knows the feeling well - she sailed from Melbourne to Tasmania across the Bass Strait and back in 2020.
"My dad dropped me off in Melbourne with nothing more than a backpack, a camera and an overconfidence that I wouldn't get seasick," she said.
"From day one, I knew I'd made one of the best decisions of my life."
Miss Tarran said a stint in Young Endeavour teaches young crew members a range of skills that go beyond the basics of sailing.
"Young Endeavour teaches you so much more than just how to sail," she said.
"It teaches you resilience, teamwork and courage, and that you're capable of so much more than you think, especially when you're surrounded by people who truly believe in you."
Miss Tarran said Young Endeavour taught her about showing up, challenging yourself and taking a moment to appreciate what's around you.
"The lessons I learnt on that ship have travelled with me around the world, through so many challenges I probably wouldn't have faced without it," she said.
"There's something truly special about Young Endeavour's ability to turn strangers into friends, friends into family, weaknesses into strengths and self-doubt into confidence."
For Maya Van Niekerk, another former crew member who sailed from Mackay to Cairns in 2023 and now works as a primary school teacher, the lessons were equally profound.
"Young Endeavour taught me something really important," Miss Van Niekerk said.
"That real growth starts when you're outside your comfort zone and carpe diem - seize the day."
She said whether climbing to the top of the mast hauling sails in beating winds and torrential rain or steering the 44-metre brigantine at midnight, crew members were always on a voyage of self-discovery.
"These moments will stay with you long after you return to shore," Miss Van Niekerk said.
"You may leave Young Endeavour, but Young Endeavour will never leave you."
During the visit, the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme announced a new program of youth development voyages to be delivered on the east coast of Australia during 2026.
Young Endeavour Youth Scheme applications are now open to Australian youth aged 16-23.
