Australia II became the first non-American yacht to win the America’s Cup, the world’s most famous sailing competition. Australia II was the first non-American winner in 25 challenges beginning with the first competition in 1870. Australia II won the cup at Newport, in the United States, in 1983 by winning four races and losing three against the defender Liberty. The final, deciding race against Liberty was won by only 41 seconds. A syndicate headed by the Australian businessman Alan Bond owned Australia II. The Australian skipper John Bertrand captained the yacht.
In 1985, Alan Bond sold Australia II to the Australian governrnment. In 1991, the yacht went on display at the National Maritime Museum in Sydney. The vessel was transferred to the Western Australian Museum’s maritime section in Freemantle, where Australia II was placed on permanent display, in 2000.
