An ambitious yachter is preparing to set off from the Gold Coast on a non stop solo trip around Australia in a bid to set a new world record.

Aiming to do the trip in just 50 days, Ian "Thommo" Thomson hopes be the first person to achieve the record, and create awareness of the damage plastic bags are doing to marine life and the environment.

Breaking the record for a compete world circumnavigation, which stands at 68 Days 8 Hours and 30 minutes and has been held for almost two decades, will be a challenge for the 36-year-old commercial skipper.

For more information on the campaign, please visit Save Our Seas