Would like some help

[mbpaintballa]

hi like the title says im a little overwhelmed choosing a spot in australia to go on a vacation in the first weeks of november.

ive narrowed my search to sydney due to the fact it looks like it has alot of shore dives as well as boat charters and when im not diving i have other things to do

the other choice is cairnes (i dunno much about the different beaches there like nothbeach, palm cove, ect) for the great barrier reef

and the goldcoast primaraly in the area called surfers paradise

ive searched the site and they all look like a good choice but some first hand experiance both good and bad would be helpfull

im not really looking to go on a liveaboard de to the fact im in the navy so ya.. but if it means the BEST dives are only acessable by that so be it


now a little about my experience just to make your help a little easier. ive got about 15 dive under my belt up in victoria, bc in canada ive done most of my dives at ogden point(the breakwater), and henderson point. im used to cold water dives so it would be a nice change of pace to dive in aus. wow not much to go on

sorry if im a bother but i have made up my mind on where i want to spend my vacation and i want to make the most of it and just experience what australia has to offer.

 

[kempster1]

Have a look here
www.diveoz.com.au - The Biggest Site for Australian Scuba Diving Info

I do not think the shore diving around Cairns is much good and the beaches are crap (more mud than sand)
The stingers are moving in around this time of the year to so swiming from the shore is not a good idea
Box Jelly Fish, dangers on the great barrier reef

I have not dived Sydney but it sounds like the place for your trip, there are lots of sydney divers at diveoz.

 

[mbpaintballa]

thanks ill take a good long look at both of those sites

 

[almitywife]

welcome to :sblogo:

the thing to remember is australia is a pretty big island (just a bit smaller than the US actually) so to get from cairns to the gold coast is quite a distance

ive never dived cairns but last month we spent a week at Lady Elliot Island (via Hervey Bay or Bundaberg) and i loved the diving (big critters (whales, mantas & sharks) a nice wreck, blue water and hard coral)

from what i hear, theres no shore diving in queensland so that adds to the expense but i would suggest you look at North Stradbroke Island (about 40mins drive from brisbane and a ferry ride) as i did a trip there about 6yrs ago and diving Morton Bay was very nice

as far as sydney diving goes you will need access to transport to get around but in saying that i think we are spoilt here with alot of choices, just depends on what you want to see

one thing to mention is about 2hrs north of the gold coast you can dive hmas brisbane

cheers and ask away as you have questions

 

[Kern]

Bargara, on the coast east of Bundaberg. Wreck, reef & some excellent shore diving.

http://www.bargaradive.com/

http://www.bargaradive.com/shore_diving