Invasive species in Oz

[fisheyeview]

Okay, so Joycetershell, MegaMikey and I are planning on invading Oz next year. So far it looks like we will be there in March for a couple of weeks. We will be splitting our time between Sydney and Cairns.
Any advice on the diving and things to see would be most appreciated.

Thanks, Scott

 

[mattoau]

How long will you be in each location?
How will you be travelling between the two?
What proportion of your time there do you want to spend diving?
Are you looking at budget, mid or high range diving/accommodation?

 

[fisheyeview]

Planning on 4 or 5 days in Sydney, and the rest in Cairns. We have places to stay in both locations. We have a local guide for the Sydney diving. Sheila (Bowlofpetunias). We are looking for must see dives in Cairns. We will be land based doing day trips.

I have heard it is a long and boring drive between the two locations, so we were planning on flying between them.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Looked it up .. about 3 hourse flight time to Cairns from Sydney. What we only get 4 or 5 days?

 

[fisheyeview]

Nothing is set in stone yet.

 

[mattoau]

Planning on 4 or 5 days in Sydney, and the rest in Cairns. We have places to stay in both locations. We have a local guide for the Sydney diving. Sheila (Bowlofpetunias).

It sounds like you have Sydney covered so I'll focus on Cairns.

We are looking for must see dives in Cairns. We will be land based doing day trips.

Personally I think you'll have trouble seeing the best Cairns has to offer by doing day trips only. The reefs (Outer Reefs) you'll see will be visited by hundreds of divers each week, and this will show. I would recommend doing at least a 3 day trip that will get you out to Steve's Bommie, Pixie Pinnacle and The Cod Hole (Ribbon Reefs). These dive sites frequently appear in Top Ten and Must Do dive lists.

Is there any particular reason you don't want to consider a liveaboard?

 

[fisheyeview]

It sounds like you have Sydney covered so I'll focus on Cairns.


Personally I think you'll have trouble seeing the best Cairns has to offer by doing day trips only. The reefs (Outer Reefs) you'll see will be visited by hundreds of divers each week, and this will show. I would recommend doing at least a 3 day trip that will get you out to Steve's Bommie, Pixie Pinnacle and The Cod Hole (Ribbon Reefs). These dive sites frequently appear in Top Ten and Must Do dive lists.

Is there any particular reason you don't want to consider a liveaboard?

Have access to a time share, but the more I research the more I am thinking liveaboard, or a stay on Lady Elliot Island.

 

[joystershell]

Have access to a time share, but the more I research the more I am thinking liveaboard, or a stay on Lady Elliot Island.

And we'll also have a non-diver with us, so a liveaboard would not be the best choice for her. But from speaking with her, it sounds as though she's fallen in love with the idea of Lady Elliot Island.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

FEV you may want to forward my PM to you about LEI to Joyce. Since LEI has resident Mantas. You are likely to see them year round. Turtles so common.. well even AlmityWife stopped getting excited over every turtle and she is Turtle mad You may want to check dates and time the trip for turtle hatching time or turtle nesting time. Then there is also the Whale season.. when we were there one year a whale gave birth just off the island and whalesounds were heard every dive. I wouldn't say it is the best diving on the GBR but there is so much to offer on land to a non diver. You may want to check seasons for the different nesting seasons for different birds as it is a bird sanctuary. We have been twice and would certainly like to go again!

 

[fisheyeview]

Good idea Sheila. Messages forwaded to Joyce.

---------- Post added ----------

Due to logistics and planning it looks like we will be invading Oz in February 2014.