Lesley Brydon AM was a crew member on Barbarian, which was the first ever all-female crew to sail in the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race in 1975.

She completed many international campaigns, most notably on board Jack Rooklyn’s Ballyhoo, and also sailed regularly on Rupert Murdoch’s ketch Ilina and Don Mickleborough’s Southerly.

Part 1 of the interview with Lesley covers: Lesley’s early sailing days in Gladstone, sailing on Ilina with Curly Brydon, Rupert Murdoch and Don Mickleborough, sailing across the Pacific on Ballyhoo, and the 1975 Transpac with Jack Rooklyn and Bob Miller.

Part 2 of the interview with Lesley covers: Hawaii in 1975 on Ballyhoo, Barbarian and the first all female crew to race to Hobart in 1975, winning the South China Sea Series in 1976, publishing Offshore, visiting Rupert Murdoch, the Dame Pattie America’s Cup challenge in 1967, and nephew Tom Barker.

You can view previous episodes of the Video Archive Project on the CYCA website.