The 2025 Yamaha Variety Jet Trek – an annual week-long Jet Ski ocean ride for charity – has raised $261,127 to help sick and disadvantaged kids, bringing the fund-raising total to more than $4.2 million over the 27 years since 1998.
While the event is historically held in Queensland and northern NSW, for 2025 it headed south to the island state of Tasmania for the first time.
A field of 66 Jet Ski riders – including 16 first-time participants – were supported by more than 100 road crew and officials as they travelled north along the east coast of Tasmania, from Hobart to Devonport, from 2 to 8 March 2025.
The event covered 650km over six days, as the Jet Skis hit the water and support crews followed by road.
Blessed with good riding conditions for most of the week, it was the first time in 10 years the event ran every day – with no cancellations due to severe weather.
The ocean was glassed-out on four of the six days – with mild winds and low swell – as riders explored countless spectacular caves etched into the rocky cliff faces along the coastline.
However, about a quarter of the riders chose to sit out two days in the middle of the event amid 25-knot winds, two-metre swell, and choppy conditions.
2025 Yamaha Variety Jet Trek Tasmania recap:
- Day 1: Hobart to Triabunna (110km)
- Day 2: Lap of Maria Island (95km)
- Day 3: Triabunna to Bicheno (120km)
- Day 4: Bicheno to St Helens (74km)
- Day 5: St Helens to Bridport (161km)
- Day 6: Launceston to Devonport (90km)
Of the 66 Jet Skis entered in the 2025 Variety Jet Trek, there were 17 Sea-Doos (26 per cent of the field) and 49 Yamaha WaveRunners (74 per cent). No Kawasaki Jet Skis ran this year.
Although it is not a race, the Yamaha Variety Jet Trek is a test of endurance – and participants raise money for the children’s charity to be able to take part.
In 2026, the Yamaha Variety Jet Trek will travel from Townsville to Mackay via the Whitsundays from 3 to 9 May 2026.
To find out more about the 2026 Yamaha Variety Jet Trek, click here for the official website.
Yamaha Variety Jet Trek recent fund-raising history:
2025: $261,000
2024: $385,000
2023: $340,000
2022: $365,000
2021: $194,000
2020: $312,000
2019: $404,000 (record)
2018: $380,000
2017: $270,000
Above: Father-and-son team Peter Locock (right) and Max Locock (left).
Peter Locock is the only participant to have ridden a Jet Ski in all 27 Variety Jet Trek events to date.
His brother Paul Locock (in the foreground, below) has also clocked up 27 years – with the past 23 years in a row on the water and the first four years as road crew.
Variety Jet Trek event history:
2025 – Hobart to Devonport
2024 – Kingscliff to Gladstone
2023 – Batemans Bay to Coffs Harbour
2022 – Mackay to Port Douglas
2021 – Caloundra to Gladstone
2020 – Coffs Harbour to Sunshine Coast
2019 – Bundaberg to Airlie Beach
2018 – Airlie Beach to Mission Beach (second, shortened event)
2018 – Sydney to Yamba
2017 – Mission Beach to Airlie Beach
2016 – Great Ocean Road Portland to Phillip Island
2015 – Yeppoon to Sanctuary Cove
2014 – Port Macquarie to Mooloolaba
2013 – Cooktown to Townsville
2012 – Grafton to Tin Can Bay
2011 – Townsville to Halliday Bay
2010 – Bundaberg to Kingscliff
2009 – Mission Beach to Airlie Beach
2008 – Capricorn Resort to the Gold Coast
2007 – Grafton to Noosa
2006 – Rainbow Beach to Ballina
2005 – Yeppoon to Caloundra
2004 – No event
2003 – Raby Bay to Hervey Bay
2002 – Townsville to Mackay
2001 – Townsville to Port Douglas
2000 – Coffs Harbour to Hervey Bay
1999 – Yeppoon to the Gold Coast
1998 – Yeppoon to the Gold Coast
MORE: Variety Jet Trek celebrates 25 years
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