just a quick australia question

[midwestdvr]

I have an aunt in sydney who's been bugging me to come down and visit. Since I'm moving to california, I may finally be able to use those cheap qantas airfares so I've been giving it some thought. For diving the GBR, are there land based ops that make a trip out there or will I have to do a liveaboard? What are the best months to dive the GBR? Are there other must dive areas in eastern australia besides the GBR? Thanks in advance for the help.

midwestdvr

 

[Zeeman]

the winter dry season is probably best - April to Octoberish (correct me of I'm wrong)

You can do day trips form Cairns or Port Douglas, it's about a 2 hour boat trip out, and 2 hours back. I went with Haba form Port Douglas - though any of the smaller boats would probably be fine. try to stay away form the big Quiksilver boat unless production line diving is your style...

You may also consider diving the SS Yongala) out of Townesville - supposedly Australias best wreck dive. You may also considerdiving around Byron Bay - I keep hearing many good things about it. Must go one day soon... There is plenty of good diving to ve had all over the East coast (also the West Coast and in between) though Aus is a big country...

Z...

 

[midwestdvr]

Thnx. If and when I do go, will have to confine it to the east coast for now. Oz is just too big to visit at one time.

midwestdvr

 

[MarkH]

Why not try diving around Sydney? There's no 2 hour boat trip and there are lots of shore dives. Plus you might see something different instead of the same fish you see every time you turn on the Discovery Channel.

 

[Darnold9999]

Just got back from a trip to the GBR - also dived Habba as well as Posieden good day trip options both boats out of Port Douglas not Cairns. The diving and reefs are very good from these two operators and I was impressed with the professionalism and how they handled such a large number of people. However these are still production boats with lots of snorklers and "introductory divers".

If you can afford a liveaboard you will get MUCH better diving. Taka is supposed to be the best, it was full when I could go so I ended up on the Mike Ball Dive/Fly Cod Hole trip and had some spectacular diving.

The absolute best time weather wise is just as the dry season changes to the wet. The wind dies down and it is not yet too hot and muggy. Sometime late October early November.

For more detailed info re Australia and diving try the DiveOZ Forum - similar to this, but based in Australia. www.diveoz.com.au

 

[Peter Guy]

TSandM and I just returned from 3 days of diving in Byron Bay. Her report is at Diving Byron Bay and pictures can be found at Byron Bay Pictures

 

[boxcar]

Like zeeman, I've done the GBR out of Port Douglas. Its OK, not bad diving, but also not fantastic.

Byron Bay, mentioned above, is a nice weekend stop if you're travelling because in addition to the diving, that community has a nice relaxed vibe about it.

I also recommend diving Stradbroke Island in SE Queensland if you get the chance. Summer diving is with Mantas there and winter diving with Grey Nurse sharks. You can get a day boat from Brisbane OR stay on the island...depends how much time you've got

The very southern GBR (Bunker Group, Lady Musgrave, Lady Elliot) has become a fave of mine...get a liveaboard from Bundaberg or maybe a bit further north (Gladstone) ...nice diving, reefs in great shape, no crowds.

 

[TSandM]

I LOVED Byron Bay. Three days of diving there, six dives altogether, and we were still seeing things that were completely new. The reef's in really good condition and loaded with marine life. The dive operator was absolutely professional and they were really nice people to boot. I'd go back and dive there again in a minute.

 

[Daryl Morse]

Why not try diving around Sydney? There's no 2 hour boat trip and there are lots of shore dives. Plus you might see something different instead of the same fish you see every time you turn on the Discovery Channel.

I second this. Sydney's a fantastic city with lots of things to do, and there are lots of places to dive. I haven't done any shore dives there, but I've gone out on the ProDive Sealife V boat a bunch of times. Last time out, I saw a weedy sea dragon, a wobby, a couple of morays, some rays, and a HUGE cuttlefish. There are lots of schooling fish, octos, sharks and other things to see. Definitely worth spending some time in the Sydney area.