Itinerary Help for Brisbane area

[mrrworld]

My wife and I (both experienced divers) will be in Brisbane in mid-September from Sat until flying up to Cairns on Thursday. With flight schedules, we can dive basically Sunday until Wednesday morning. Any suggestions on how to divvy up the days to maximize the diving? We live in Canberra right now so this will be first time in the area for diving.

Right now, thinking of going to Byron Bay for Julian Rocks and then up to Stradbroke Island and/or Mooloolaba. Maybe Sunday-Monday in Byron Bay and then drive up somewhere else for Tues diving. Is two days enough or too much for Julian Rocks and Byron Bay? Should I only focus on Julian Rocks or look to dive elsewhere in Byron Bay? I don't think I can do both Stradbroke and Mooloolaba so which would be better if you can only do one? Or should I limit Byron Bay to one day of diving and then spend more time in Stradbroke or Mooloolaba?

Any advice would be great. From reviews, seems like I can't go wrong but trying to maximize the diving!

Thanks so much,

Michael

 

[ocdiver1]

Personally i'd say with the time you have i'd stick to one place. Great diving at Julian Rocks and Byron Bay is such a perfect placce to vacation otherwise. All Byron Bay diving would be at Julian Rocks...fairly small area but I don't think you'd be bored with 3 1/2 days diving there. If you're looking for a dive op i always use Sundive and would highly recommend.

 

[Tbar]

Brisbane in mid-September from Sat until flying up to Cairns on Thursday

Are you flying into Brisbane? Will you have a car?

I will assume you have a car, but you could use a bus.

Saturday arrive in Brisbane, travel to Byron Bay or Brunswick Heads
Sunday double dive Julian Rocks I like diving with Blue Bay www.bluebaydivers.com.au but they are in Brunswick Heads, then there are Sun dive (www.sundive.com.au) and Byron Bay Dive centre both in Byron bay (www.byronbaydivecentre.com.au)
Sunday afternoon, spend some time in Byron (Beach hotel) or travel to Stradbroke
Monday Dive or beach depending on when you travelled - Travel to Stradbroke
Tuesday Double dive Flat Rock, shark gutters, see Grey Nurse under the water and whales on top or if lucky whales under the water, (North Stradbroke Island's only 5 Star PADI Dive Centre, Since 1992) travel to Mooloolaba
Wednesday double dive ex-HMAS Brisbane (Sunreef Online Shop or Dive with the experts at Scuba World
Back to Brisbane
Thursday fly to Cairns

You would need to confirm the dive operators will run trips on the week days.

For times:

Brisbane to Byron Bay about a 2 hour drive
Byron to Stradbroke 2 1/2 hours but you will need to book a ferry for car, or take the 'flyer' and bus to Pt Lookout
Brisbane to Mooloolaba about 1 1/2 hours​

We day trip all three locations

 

[mrrworld]

Thanks everyone. Unfortunately Blue Bay only goes out on Saturdays so I am looking into the other two dive shops. Couple of questions based on what you both wrote. Is 2 dives in Julian Rocks enough? I was expecting to do more or needing more time but maybe not based on Tbar's post. If I stayed the whole time in Byron Bay as Ocdiver suggests, is there other diving locations besides Julian Rocks?

 

[ocdiver1]

Sundive is open everyday and typically goes out 3x daily, so you should have better luck with them. I wouldn't say 2 dives isn't quie enough for JL...but i think you just want to consdier how rushed you want your trip to be given that you are in Canberra and can always get back to the area

 

[Tbar]

Re Byron Bay
The common dive sites are at Julian Rocks. Both Sundive and Byron Bay Dive centre use RIBs and launch of the beach and run a single dive trip, retuning to the shop for the change over. This can give flexibility on when you dive, and possibly more than two dives in the day. But they tend to return to the same mooring, a sites in The Nursery. From the Nursery you can dive to the North East to the Code Hole or the South West to the Needles.

This document has a bit of information on the dive locations and specific sites: Dive sites two.docx

If you just want a couple of dives and relax at the beach for a couple of days then Byron probably has more to offer pubs and cafes, North Stradbroke is a bit quieter, a nice pub... both are beautiful locations.