JUST about every Australian sat up in the early hours of September 26, 1983, to watch Australia II sail into sporting history.

Rarely had a sporting event captured the nation's attention. Television cameras in Newport, Rhode Island, captured the boat's owner, Alan Bond, celebrating with skipper John Bertrand and his crew as the secret keel was finally revealed.

After former prime minister Bob Hawke famously labelled any boss who sacked someone for taking the day off "a bum", the celebrations eventually slowed and Australia II came home. Originally from the Royal Perth Yacht Club, the yacht went on a tour of the country as national and state museums began vying to purchase it for exhibition.

The National Museum paid $2 million for the boat, and in 1987 the Western Australian Museum was appointed as the temporary custodian.

Australia II was first displayed in 1991 at the Australian National Maritime Museum, which was created in Sydney as a bicentennial project.

Four years later, the West Australian government announced a $21million project to build a Maritime Museum in Fremantle to house Australia II.

The yacht was returned to Western Australia in 2001, and the state's new maritime museum opened in December the following year.

The building is on the estuary of the Swan River and the entrance to the Port of Fremantle's Victoria Quay.

Australia II, which shattered the New York Yacht Club's 132-year stranglehold on the America's Cup, is seen by 150,000 visitors each year.

On one day alone in September, 4000 people attended an Australia II open day at the museum to mark the 25th anniversary of the historic win.

Sally May, head of maritime history at the Western Australian Museum, said Australia II had become a national and international drawcard.