Diving near Brisbane

[swimmer_spe]

Sometime in Sept - Dec, I may be in the area for a few days.

How far to the Great Barrier Reef from there?

Any suggestions for "Must dives" besides the GBR?

What would the water temperature be?

 

[clownfishsydney]

A long way. Better off going down to Byron Bay in northern New South Wales and diving there.

 

[Tortuga68]

Dive the HMAS Brisbane Wreck | Scuba World Sunshine Coast, Brisbane

Nautilus Scuba SUPERCAT-Dive Trips to Moreton Bay

 

[geoffdee]

Diving:

Flinders Reef, off Moreton Island with Nautilus as mentioned. There's also a few other good spots off Moreton also that are less dived but harder to get charters too.
Flat Rock, North Stradbroke Island with Manta Lodge and also Manta Bommie (Manta Rays may be there if closer to December) at North Straddie
HMAS Brisbane wreck off Mooloolaba with Sunreef or Scubaworld as mentioned.
There's a few good places off Gold Coast and northern NSW also and someone has already mentioned Julian Rocks at Byron Bay.

Water temp around that time of year likely 23-25 degrees Celsius.

PM me if you want anymore info.

 

[swimmer_spe]

A long way. Better off going down to Byron Bay in northern New South Wales and diving there.

How far is a long way?

 

[covediver]

How far is a long way?

A long way, two days by auto, at least one day by train, much less by plane. I was in Oz for three weeks in October-Nov 2011. Planned on starting in Sydney and getting to Brisbane, Ayre, and then Cairns. Then I looked at the transportation timetables and decided to start out in Brisbane instead. Stayed at Mooloolaba, a great place to be, although the winds kept us off the ex-HMAS Brisbane for two days. After diving the Brisbane I then met up with friends who had been diving Byron Bay and we started driving towards Whitsunday Islands, then on to Ayre to dive the Yongala, then on to Cairns for the Barrier Reef onboard Spoilsport. Its a lot of driving, and a great way to see the country, and boy is there a lot of country to see, most of it is inland from the coast. Unless you want to spend a lot of time moving between cities, stay put or take the planes.

I really like Oz and plan on returning soon. Next time I will not try to cover as much territory or will go for a longer period of time. what I really liked is that each city seemed to have an outdoor 50 meter public swimming pool and that time of year is one fine time for swimming laps outside. And the people were great.

 

[ocdiver1]

if just in Brisbane for a couple of days as others have suggested, head to Byron Bay only two hour drive or so south. you won't be disappointed and Julian Rocks is as good as almost any GBR site

 

[AussieByron]

Diving around Brisbane and places like Julian Rocks, Byron Bay will have water temp around 17-20 from september to December. Warm water 25c arrives normally after xmas.

Regards Mark

 

[swimmer_spe]

Diving around Brisbane and places like Julian Rocks, Byron Bay will have water temp around 17-20 from september to December. Warm water 25c arrives normally after xmas.

Regards Mark

I am used to diving in 5-10C. That will be bath water.

Do you usually need a thin wetsuit at that time? (I will leave the dry suit at home.)

 

[Tortuga68]

I would be using minimum a 5mm steamer with a hooded vest at those lower temps... But I'm a cold water wimp