ting ▁a ▁southern ▁hem is phere ▁solo ▁circ umn avigation ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 6 . ▁ ▁Depart ing ▁Sydney ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁Watson ▁head ed ▁north - east , ▁crossing ▁the ▁equ ator ▁in ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Ocean ▁before ▁crossing ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁and ▁Indian ▁O ce ans . ▁She ▁returned ▁to ▁Sydney ▁on ▁ 1 5   May ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁three ▁days ▁before ▁her ▁ 1 7 th ▁birth day , ▁though ▁the ▁voyage ▁was ▁ultimately ▁shorter ▁than ▁the ▁required ▁ 2 1 , 6 0 0 ▁na ut ical ▁miles ▁to ▁be ▁considered ▁a ▁global ▁circ umn avigation . ▁In ▁recognition ▁of ▁her ▁achiev ement ▁Watson ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁Young ▁Australian ▁of ▁the ▁Year , ▁and ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁was ▁awarded ▁a ▁Medal ▁of ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁Australia . ▁She ▁currently ▁res ides ▁in ▁Bud er im , ▁Queensland . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Watson ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Gold ▁Coast , ▁Queensland , ▁Australia . ▁The ▁second ▁of ▁four ▁children ▁of ▁New ▁Ze al ander ▁couple ▁Roger ▁and ▁Jul ie ▁Watson , ▁who ▁moved ▁to ▁Australia ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 , ▁she ▁has ▁dual ▁Australian ▁and ▁New ▁Zealand ▁citizens hip . ▁She ▁has ▁an ▁older ▁sister ▁( Em ily ) ▁and ▁younger ▁brother ▁and ▁sister ▁( Tom ▁and ▁Hann ah ). ▁All ▁four ▁took ▁sail ing ▁less ons ▁as ▁children , ▁and ▁the ▁family ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁live ▁on ▁board ▁a ▁