wreckchick's Australian Odyssey!!

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

wreckchick

Scubavangelist
Scuba Instructor
Messages
2,036
Reaction score
8
Location
St. Thomas, USVI
Ok, so it's pretty much a done deal and it looks like I'm going to be spending an extended period of time in Australia much later this year.

The current plan is:
1) Arrive in Cairns on November 17
2) Mike Ball cruise from November 19-23
3)<mumble, mumble, mumble>
4) New Year's Eve in Sydney
5) Fly out of Sydney on January 3

Anyway, I want to do stuff to fill in #3 and I clearly have some time to work with, so... what should I do? Where should I go? What are the can't miss things that I should try and schedule? I am totally open to all things Aussie with the hope that at least some of it will be dive-related but I want to do other stuff as well.

Thank you all for your suggestions!

Rachel
 
Mumble > Mumble > Mumble...... Toil and Trouble,

Sounds like a good plan, Dive Mike, Dive Yongalla ( just because your wreck girl right !! ), Sail Whitsundays, 4wd Fraser Island, learn to surf at Noosa or Rainbow, bum around Byron Bay.

Bingo your in Sydney.

Travelling on your own or with a buddy?

Andy
 
For your diving on your way south to Sydney I recommend the SS Yongala Wreck, Maybe the Ex-HMAS Brisbane Wreck off Mooloolaba, few days diving Julian Rocks at Byron Bay. Then a couple of days diving Fish Rock off South West Rocks.

Something to think about.

Regards Mark
 
Mumble > Mumble > Mumble...... Toil and Trouble,

Sounds like a good plan, Dive Mike, Dive Yongalla ( just because your wreck girl right !! ), Sail Whitsundays, 4wd Fraser Island, learn to surf at Noosa or Rainbow, bum around Byron Bay.

Bingo your in Sydney.

Travelling on your own or with a buddy?

Andy

I'll put Yongala on my list for sure!

I have a buddy for the liveaboard part but beyond that I'm on my own.

Any suggestions about transportation? Is renting a car a feasible option?

R
 
I have a buddy for the liveaboard part but beyond that I'm on my own.

You are never on your own. See, I corrected your list below. :wink:

The current plan is:
0.5) Take Steve :D
1) Arrive in Cairns on November 17
2) Mike Ball cruise from November 19-23
3)<mumble, mumble, mumble>
4) New Year's Eve in Sydney
5) Fly out of Sydney on January 3

I really envy you for this trip Rachel. It is on my list of this I must do as well. Fortunately, I will have been in Thailand for 2 days when you arrive in Australia :D. But I am only going for three weeks.

I am looking forward to the answers here because my thought for next year was three weeks in Australia. Mine will be split topside and diving (maybe not quite evenly though). Enjoy and remember us little people.
 
Last edited:
Obvious oversight on my part...

Your crate will be ready for you :D

When you're done in Thailand, come on down and dive with me for another week, you're already in the neighborhood!

R
 
I'll put Yongala on my list for sure!

I have a buddy for the liveaboard part but beyond that I'm on my own.

Any suggestions about transportation? Is renting a car a feasible option?

R

There is over 3000km between Cairns and Sydney which is alot of country to cover.

I recommend that you hire a car in Cairns to get down to Townsville or Ayr to do the Yongala. Townsville is about 3-4hours drive south of Cairns. Then either go back ot Cairns or fly out of Townsville to Brisbane. I you booked enough in advance you can get some great prices. I recommend Virginblue as a carrier as they arn't as cut throat with excess baggage and their service is better in my opinion.

Once in Brisbane look at hiring a car and having a look around the Sunshine coast which is an hour or so North of Brisbane and the home of the Ex-HMAS Brisbane. Then drive South for two hours to my local area of Byron Bay and dive Julian Rocks. Kick back in the area for a couple of days as its one of the prettiest areas in Australia.

Continue then south to maybe Coffs Harbour and dive the Solitary Islands or go a little further and Dive Fish Rock at South West Rocks which is about an hour south of Coffs. At this point of time your about 4-5 hours drive North of Sydney.

Just some ideas for you.

Regards Mark
 
Thanks for all the suggestions!

I have a ton of time so I'm also looking at a trip to Alice Springs? Maybe? Somewhere in there. No way I could be on the continent for that long and not at least peek at the outback.

Maybe stay in the northeast for a few days/week after the liveaboard then fly from Townsville to Alice Springs then out to Brisbane and do the car thing down the coast?

I want to do as much as possible without being on such a tight schedule I can't relax.

R
 
I can't remember how much difference it made, but I do remember when I booked my flight to Uluru/Ayers rock, it was cheaper to fly from other cities rather than Cairns, but that could have been based on when I was flying.

So you may want to look at booking the multi stop flights e.g. Brisbane -> Uluru -> Sydney - gets you from points you already want to go to and may save you some money for another dive etc.

I found taking a multi stop flight worked out cheaper for me to get round all the areas, since there's some great diving around Aus that I diidn't want to miss out on, wish I was back there...... have fun with your travels :)
 
Just something to watch out for when booking flights.

I have heard that Virgin has a policy of not allowing anyone to fly for 48 hours after diving, whether it is a single no deco dive or multiple dives.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

Back
Top Bottom