Kelp diving in Oz/NZ?

How's the diving in the giant kelp forests down around Tasmania? Are there any liveaboards which dive them?

Do White Pointers frequent the forests?

Also, are there any significant giant kelp forests off New Zealand?

There are large kelp forests in the South Island of NZ. The Giant Kelp needs colder water, like in California. On the East coast of the south island, around the Kaikoura coast and further south is where there are forests in NZ. They are fed by cold currents from antarctica. I would say yes to the white pointers due to the seal and sea-lion populations that are around the kelp forests. If they're in NZ then they're in OZ.
Hope that helps.
Gasman

Are those areas popular with Kiwi divers, relatively speaking, or are they avoided because of the sharks?

If it's not terribly dangerous, I'd dearly love to dive those forests next time I'm down. Do they extend as far north as the sunken cruise ship near Picton?

But I have some good sites for you to look at...
http:/www.scubadive.co.nz/
Search for 'kaikoura shark dive' and 'New Zealand Sea Adventures'
The ship you mention is the 'Mikhail Lermentov'. Which is a Russian liner which sunk. It is a medium to advanced dive depending on the conditions. A great dive north of Auckland in the North Island is 'The Poor Knights Islands'. Rated by Jaques Cousteau as one of the top ten dive sites in the world.
Enter 'Dive Tutukaka' of the islands themselves to find details.
Keep the questions coming,
Gasman

As the Gasman said, the kelp forests are found in the southern South Island, but can be pretty tricky to get to unless you are on a decent local boat, as the coast line around there can be pretty rugged. Stewart Island (NZ's 'third' major island, south of the South Island) has by far the best kelp forests, with clear but cold water that is home to seals, sea lions and you guessed it - White Pointers. I'm pretty sure they aren't commonly seen by divers (if at all) and you'd be really lucky (or unlucky) to see one. It certainly doesn't put anyone off, as there are plenty of other places around NZ where they can be found, so there's no drama attached to it.
I'm not sure about kelp forests around the Marlborough Sounds ( where the Mikhail Lermontov is) but another site for you to check out would be www.divenewzealand.com which should give you details about all the good spots around there. The Lermontov is definately worth a few dives if you get the chance. She was a 155m long 25m wide luxury cruise liner, and in 1986 sunk onto a sandy and silty bottom in 37m of water, and has a real ghostly feel due to the sometimes reduced viz. There are also caves in the area (look up Riwaka Srings, Pupu Springs, and Riwaka Resurgence).
I'd love to answer some more questions as well, so keep 'em comin'!
By the way, where are you situated Gasman?

Auckland and Northland. I would love to dive those springs you mentioned and hope to this year. I'll do a tiki tour down that way maybe Feb/Mar, money allowing.
Gasman

I have dived the kelp forests in Tasmania, exellent diving. There are no live-aboards down that way, but there is no need as the kelp forests are close to dive facilities and good accommodations, far more comfortable than on the sea in the Southern Ocean. Eaglehawk Dive Centre at Eaglehawk Neck are the people to contact see www.eaglehawkdive.com.au and contact is Gary Myors. In this area of the world you are diving in some real wilderness. Diving below some of the highest sea cliffs in Australia.
Yes Great whites do frequent the area, particularly around the seal colonies. David Doubilet encountered one on a National Geographic trip there just by chance.
Another area is off the mid east coast of Tasmania at Bicheno, see http://www.tasadventures.com/operator.asp?opid=5&ttid=w07
Here most of the dive sites are 2 or 3 minutes from the boat launching ramp, and we are talking spectacular dives! Contact is Rick or Pat. Winter is the best time for visibility which can reach 40 metres, water temp 10 degrees C. Bring a dry suit.
Any other information you need please yell out.
Regards - Reefwalker.