What's so great about the Yongala?

[nh16]

So my husband and I are planning a trip to Australia in November. We're flying into Brisbane, renting an RV, and driving up to Cairns where we've booked spots on the SpoilSport for the fly/dive Coral Sea package (excited!!!). We are PADI AOW certified and have gone diving in Cozumel, Okinawa, Florida Keys as well as further up on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, and off the Big Island of Hawaii.

We've been looking up some other spots to potentially dive as we make our way up the coast. I've read lots of good things here on SB about the SS Yongala, but I'd love to know from folks that have been- what sets it apart from everything else? Is it the wreck itself? Is there really unique sea life?

So far, I've seen decent feedback about these 2 shops:
SS Yongala Day Trips | Yongala Dive
http://www.remoteareadive.com.au/dive_packages/unlimited_dive_safari.php- Not Yongala but this trip just sounds interesting because of the camping aspect...something different.

Any other recommendations for dives up the coast?

If the Yongala really is bucket list material, then we're going to try and make that happen . I've read that trips get cancelled quite a bit due to weather/conditions, but that going out of Alva Beach is a safer bet.

Non-diving related- if there are also any unique sights to see on the way up to Cairns, that would be great to know as well. Looks like we'll probably make pit stops near Rockhampton, Mackay, and Townsville before reaching Cairns. I'm a wildlife biologist so any places with unique critters/nature-y stuff would be high on the list...

 

[WetPup]

Ok, so I live in Townsville and have been to the Yongala a fair number of times. And twice I've been on that Remote Area Dive camping trip you mention.

So, Yongala first...The Yongala is so full of marine life. Sea snakes, sharks, rays, turtles, big fish, little fish All the fun stuff! The wreck in and of itself is interesting, but for me (like many others) it's always been more about seeing the astronomical amount of marine life that surrounds it. It really is amazing to dive! Regarding trips being cancelled, that by and large is only an issue if you go out from Townsville (it's a 3 hour trip each way to the wreck). If you're going to have an RV, then you've got your own transport, and you would be far better off just pulling into Alva Beach for a day or two on your way north and staying there and diving with Yongala Dive. It's only a 40-45 minute trip out from Alva and unless there's a massive storm system passing through, Yongala Dive are very unlikely to cancel the trip.

Camping on Pelorus with RAD...I don't personally enjoy it. I've done it out of curiousity, but on the whole I found the reefs there to be in pretty terrible condition with very little interesting marine life to speak of. There's a resident wobbegong on the reef just out the front of the campsite, but that aside, I think it's pretty mediocre. It's a great place to go teach open water students how to dive and everything, but as a destination dive for certified divers? I can't say it's got much going for it.

 

[MA]

What wetpup said. As there is very few if any reefs around, the marine life just flocks to the yongala. And they always seem
To be bigger than usual. So times you just don't know where to look as so much is around.

I also vote for Alva beach.

For other places consider getting over to lady Elliot and Fraser Island. (Fraser is not for diving).

 

[nh16]

Thanks! We're definitely more interested in seeing the critters than the wreck itself, so it's great to hear that the main draw is the critters. I know there are folks who have a particular fondness for wrecks so I wasn't sure if this was great amongst wreck divers, or great in general

Camping on Pelorus with RAD...I don't personally enjoy it. I've done it out of curiousity, but on the whole I found the reefs there to be in pretty terrible condition with very little interesting marine life to speak of. There's a resident wobbegong on the reef just out the front of the campsite, but that aside, I think it's pretty mediocre. It's a great place to go teach open water students how to dive and everything, but as a destination dive for certified divers? I can't say it's got much going for it.

This is basically the info I was looking for. I saw some reviews on TripAdvisor but it seemed to be a lot of people who chose the trip to get their OW certifications...

 

[WetPup]

Thanks! We're definitely more interested in seeing the critters than the wreck itself, so it's great to hear that the main draw is the critters. I know there are folks who have a particular fondness for wrecks so I wasn't sure if this was great amongst wreck divers, or great in general


This is basically the info I was looking for. I saw some reviews on TripAdvisor but it seemed to be a lot of people who chose the trip to get their OW certifications...

1. Wreck divers do still love the Yongala...But it's got enough going for it for those who aren't hardcore rusties (like me - I like the marine life )

2. The diving around Pelorus and Orpheus Islands where they do the camping trip is quite shallow with little current to speak of (you can get a bit in the channel between the two islands on occasion, but it never seems to bring the big fish in). You already mentioned that you're going to be diving with Mike Ball, so honestly, just save your money.

3. You said you're interested in other stuff...About 20 minutes south of Townsville on the highway is Billabong Sanctuary - a local wildlife sanctuary where you can go cuddle koalas and wombats etc. Interesting day trip if you want to go see some native Australian wildlife. In Cairns, go up to Kuranda for the day on the Skyrail to see the rainforest. Well worth the trip

 

[nh16]

1. Wreck divers do still love the Yongala...But it's got enough going for it for those who aren't hardcore rusties (like me - I like the marine life )

2. The diving around Pelorus and Orpheus Islands where they do the camping trip is quite shallow with little current to speak of (you can get a bit in the channel between the two islands on occasion, but it never seems to bring the big fish in). You already mentioned that you're going to be diving with Mike Ball, so honestly, just save your money.

3. You said you're interested in other stuff...About 20 minutes south of Townsville on the highway is Billabong Sanctuary - a local wildlife sanctuary where you can go cuddle koalas and wombats etc. Interesting day trip if you want to go see some native Australian wildlife. In Cairns, go up to Kuranda for the day on the Skyrail to see the rainforest. Well worth the trip

Thanks! I'm excited for the trip!

 

[Grogan]

As mentioned by Wetpup already, the camping trip to Pelorus island is not that great for diving, but occasionally they head out to Britomart reef which is a great reef dive. Alva beach is the best place to launch to see the Yongala.
The Sunshine Coast area just north of Brisbane has some beautiful surf beaches and they do have the HMAS Brisbane Ex-HMAS Brisbane Regional Park (Department of National Parks, Sport and Racing)
Bowen is a nice little town on the northern end of the Whitsunday islands and has some nice shore dives and a great dive shop that will draw you some mud maps and rent tanks etc.

 

[clownfishsydney]

As others have mentioned, the Yongala is all about fish, big fish, lots of big fish. I have done two trips there and the dives have all been amazing. Just remember that there can be very strong currents, so if you are not confident with diving in currents, maybe reconsider. I have twice decided not to dive due to the current, and I am used to diving in strong currents.

Whitsundays are also very nice, you can go on some short trips on backpacker boats that include diving. The diving is not has nice as the Yongala or the Coral Sea. Even if you do not dive, a day trip out to the islands is an amazing experience (we spent a month there last year in our yacht).

 

[nh16]

As others have mentioned, the Yongala is all about fish, big fish, lots of big fish. I have done two trips there and the dives have all been amazing. Just remember that there can be very strong currents, so if you are not confident with diving in currents, maybe reconsider.

I guess there'd be no way to know until the day of... We've experienced some strong currents before (drift dives), but that's not really the norm in places we've been. The Yongala Dive folks mention that the dives are guided so that would definitely be a plus in that situation. I think we're planning now on a couple days in Townsville so that makes our extremely narrow window slightly less narrow If it's a bust, I'll just spend more time hugging koalas at the Billabong Sanctuary, haha.

 

[lamarpaulski]

Perhaps a bit off topic but you can get to Vanuatu from Brisbane very easily...very good diving, WW2 wrecks and amazing volcanoes, beaches, scenery and people. Might care to add that to your adventure.