Where should I come in Australia?

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Hi everyone,

I just got connected to some family that now lives in Melbourne. They were inviting me over. Since I am based in US East coast, I had ruled out Australia as one of those far off out of the way places that you can dream about but won’t really happen.

No with three cousins and their families that I have discovered living in Australia, it is not as unreasonable anymore. All my cousins are now married with kids so I need to reconnect any way. But, sine Australia was also a destination that I had fantasized about, I would also like to experience the best diving that Australia has to offer.

I am reaching out to seek some suggestions about where i. Australia should I go and what would be the best season. My certification level is Trimix but unless Australia has done world class tech diving, I’d prefer recreational.

Like I said, I’ll be staying in Melbourne but I will travel wherever the best diving there is. I am open to liveaboard as well as land based. I am drysuit certified so colder temperatures are also not a problem.

So can anyone shoot some suggestions as to where in Australia should I plan for and at which time of the year? Any and all input is appreciated.

 

[Puppeteer]

Ningaloo reef in WA is probably the best diving, but the great barrier reef is also amazing.

There's so many places to dive around Australia

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

And which city / season would you recommend for Nongaloo or GBR?

 

[diver257a]

Hi everyone,

I just got connected to some family that now lives in Melbourne. They were inviting me over. Since I am based in US East coast, I had ruled out Australia as one of those far off out of the way places that you can dream about but won’t really happen.

No with three cousins and their families that I have discovered living in Australia, it is not as unreasonable anymore. All my cousins are now married with kids so I need to reconnect any way. But, sine Australia was also a destination that I had fantasized about, I would also like to experience the best diving that Australia has to offer.

I am reaching out to seek some suggestions about where i. Australia should I go and what would be the best season. My certification level is Trimix but unless Australia has done world class tech diving, I’d prefer recreational.

Like I said, I’ll be staying in Melbourne but I will travel wherever the best diving there is. I am open to liveaboard as well as land based. I am drysuit certified so colder temperatures are also not a problem.

So can anyone shoot some suggestions as to where in Australia should I plan for and at which time of the year? Any and all input is appreciated.

Hi Captain Sinbad,

I live in South Australia - I have the following comments.

Best times of the year are generally as follows. Northern Australia (i.e. north of the Tropic of Capricorn) is the best weatherwise from about April to October. This area includes the GBR and sites in Western Australia including Exmouth and Broome. Southern Australia (i.e. south of the Tropic of Capricorn) is best weatherwise from about November to May. This area includes the metropolitan areas of Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Hobart and Sydney.

There are "technical" depth sites off the coast of both Sydney and Melbourne (and possibly in parts of Queensland and the Perth metropolitan area in Western Australia, I think). From my experience, there are good sites outside the heads of Port Phillip Bay in Melbourne, and there are well-documented technical sites off the coast of the Sydney. These can be accessed via local dive stores – you might ask Dive Centre Bondi in Sydney or Ocean Divers in Melbourne in the first instance.

There are cave sites in the South East of South Australia which are about a day's drive (i.e. 5 to 6 hours, I think) from Melbourne (FYI, this area is usually referred to as “Mount Gambier” by the cave diving community). General information can be found on the Cave Divers Association of Australia website.

If you want any information specifically about South Australia (i.e. white sharks, leafy seadragons, cuttlefish, and particular jetties etc), please either post in this thread or send me a private message.

 

[Bob DBF]

There's so many places to dive around Australia

Yes, I hear it is surrounded by water.

 

[chris kippax]

Seasons are also important, when would you be thinking of coming

 

[Russjstewart]

What are you interested in, wrecks or fish diving?

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Hi Captain Sinbad,

I live in South Australia - I have the following comments.

Best times of the year are generally as follows. Northern Australia (i.e. north of the Tropic of Capricorn) is the best weatherwise from about April to October. This area includes the GBR and sites in Western Australia including Exmouth and Broome. Southern Australia (i.e. south of the Tropic of Capricorn) is best weatherwise from about November to May. This area includes the metropolitan areas of Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Hobart and Sydney.

There are "technical" depth sites off the coast of both Sydney and Melbourne (and possibly in parts of Queensland and the Perth metropolitan area in Western Australia, I think). From my experience, there are good sites outside the heads of Port Phillip Bay in Melbourne, and there are well-documented technical sites off the coast of the Sydney. These can be accessed via local dive stores – you might ask Dive Centre Bondi in Sydney or Ocean Divers in Melbourne in the first instance.

There are cave sites in the South East of South Australia which are about a day's drive (i.e. 5 to 6 hours, I think) from Melbourne (FYI, this area is usually referred to as “Mount Gambier” by the cave diving community). General information can be found on the Cave Divers Association of Australia website.

If you want any information specifically about South Australia (i.e. white sharks, leafy seadragons, cuttlefish, and particular jetties etc), please either post in this thread or send me a private message.

This is very helpful. Thanks so much. I will be studying the map of Australia with travel times in great detail. All I can say is that you live in a beautiful country.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

What are you interested in, wrecks or fish diving?

So forgive me for my ignorance but when Australia is mentioned in the context of diving, the image that comes to mind is reefs. It is home to Great Barrier Reef so unless the wrecks are mind blowing, I would visit the place for that wonder of the world that it is known for. I live near Graveyard of the Atlantic so wrecks are everywhere near me but if there is a wreck that is worth traveling to then I would not mind.

Are there good liveaboards in the area?

 

[Centrals]

Are there good liveaboards in the area?

In GBR there are plenty and the cost is high.
Cyclone season is from Nov onwards.