Advice for Diving in Australia

[Rainer]

Not looking for anything too specific at this point, but would like to start my research for a trip to Australia in two years. We'll be in Sydney for part of the trip and would also like to do some diving. Would like to spend FOUR days diving the GBR. What are my best options?

(1) How long to travel from Sydney to where I'd have to catch boats in Queensland? Best way to travel there?

(2) Liveaboard options for four days of diving on GBR? Estimates of costs? Looking to maximize number of dives. Do NOT need luxurious accomodations (would like to keep costs down as much as possible). Would be bringing all dive gear.

(3) Diving options close to Sydney?

Thanks!

 

[Fordan]

(1) How long to travel from Sydney to where I'd have to catch boats in Queensland? Best way to travel there?

Most diving off the GBR is typically in the Cairns/Port Douglas area, although I think there's some out of Townsville as well. From Sydney, you're looking at around 1000 miles to Townsville and 1200 to Cairns straight line. You're probably going to want to catch a flight on Qantas there, depending how time-limited your trip is. It's roughly the equivilant of going to southern Florida from Cambridge.

(2) Liveaboard options for four days of diving on GBR? Estimates of costs? Looking to maximize number of dives. Do NOT need luxurious accomodations (would like to keep costs down as much as possible). Would be bringing all dive gear.

You might want to check out http://www.divingcairns.com.au/ and http://www.diveoz.com.au/ for info on some of the liveaboard options. I did a 3 day/2 night (11 dives) liveaboard on ProDive out of Cairns for around $600AU (don't forget most prices you see will be in Australian dollars). Wasn't bad, definately a good value for money, but you will be visiting the same reefs as the dayboats and there will be a lot of new divers on the trip doing their checkout dives.

 

[almitywife]

(1) How long to travel from Sydney to where I'd have to catch boats in Queensland? Best way to travel there?

by car would take 12 to 20hrs drive time but flying will take anything from 1.5hrs to brisbane or 3hrs to Cairns

i use www.webjet.com.au as it gives me all airlines flights/prices on the one screen ive found them fantastic to deal with

also subscribe to www.flightcentre.com.au as they have flight sales quite often.

(2) Liveaboard options for four days of diving on GBR? Estimates of costs? Looking to maximize number of dives. Do NOT need luxurious accomodations (would like to keep costs down as much as possible). Would be bringing all dive gear.
Thanks!

sorry, i dont do liveaboards but i will mention Brisbane/Morton Bay look up Big Cat Reality and dont forget HMAS Brisbane which is about 1hr south of brisbane (marochydore airport i THINK) (NOT GBR but thought i would mention them)

(3) Diving options close to Sydney?

Sydney..... shore or boat? Bare Island and Kurnell (shore) are my top choices for sydney but we have dozens of dive sites to choose from, just depends on your skill level and what you want to see.

1hr drive south to Woollongong/ShellHarbour is The Gutter/The Arch/Bushrangers.

2hrs north of sydney is Nelson Bay

4hrs north is Foster/Seal Rocks

really depends on how much time you have and how you are travelliing

on the NSW/Qld border is Byron Bay.... if your travelling from QLD down the coast by car stop off here


a nice mapping site here is www.whereis.com.au, just punch in your start and finish and it will give you some advice

cheers and goodluck!

 

[Advokat]

You could also hire car and drive up to Brisbane stopping at Central Coast,Nelsons Bay,South West Rocks,Byron Bay as their a lot of good diving, than you can catch a flight to Cairns and go on a liveaboarrd.

 

[Rainer]

Most diving off the GBR is typically in the Cairns/Port Douglas area, although I think there's some out of Townsville as well. From Sydney, you're looking at around 1000 miles to Townsville and 1200 to Cairns straight line. You're probably going to want to catch a flight on Qantas there, depending how time-limited your trip is. It's roughly the equivilant of going to southern Florida from Cambridge.

Yup, looks like a flight would be needed.

You might want to check out http://www.divingcairns.com.au/ and http://www.diveoz.com.au/ for info on some of the liveaboard options. I did a 3 day/2 night (11 dives) liveaboard on ProDive out of Cairns for around $600AU (don't forget most prices you see will be in Australian dollars). Wasn't bad, definately a good value for money, but you will be visiting the same reefs as the dayboats and there will be a lot of new divers on the trip doing their checkout dives.

I'll give them a look.

Thanks for your suggestions.

 

[Rainer]

by car would take 12 to 20hrs drive time but flying will take anything from 1.5hrs to brisbane or 3hrs to Cairns

i use www.webjet.com.au as it gives me all airlines flights/prices on the one screen ive found them fantastic to deal with

also subscribe to www.flightcentre.com.au as they have flight sales quite often.

Just glancing at the site, but would ~$160 (assuming AU) be reasonable for Sydney to Cairns?

sorry, i dont do liveaboards but i will mention Brisbane/Morton Bay look up Big Cat Reality and dont forget HMAS Brisbane which is about 1hr south of brisbane (marochydore airport i THINK) (NOT GBR but thought i would mention them)

How does this diving compare to GBR?

Sydney..... shore or boat? Bare Island and Kurnell (shore) are my top choices for sydney but we have dozens of dive sites to choose from, just depends on your skill level and what you want to see.

Either would be fine (if the shore diving is just as good, I'd prefer that to save $). Not to worried about skill level, so any suggestions?

1hr drive south to Woollongong/ShellHarbour is The Gutter/The Arch/Bushrangers.

2hrs north of sydney is Nelson Bay

4hrs north is Foster/Seal Rocks

really depends on how much time you have and how you are travelliing

I'll look into all of these.

on the NSW/Qld border is Byron Bay.... if your travelling from QLD down the coast by car stop off here


a nice mapping site here is www.whereis.com.au, just punch in your start and finish and it will give you some advice

cheers and goodluck!

Thank you very much for all your suggestions. Definitely much here to investigate.

 

[Rainer]

You could also hire car and drive up to Brisbane stopping at Central Coast,Nelsons Bay,South West Rocks,Byron Bay as their a lot of good diving, than you can catch a flight to Cairns and go on a liveaboarrd.

Could you provide an estimate to the amount of time needed to make this drive (Sydney to Brisbane)? Any information on the diving one could expect at these destinations? Anything for non-divers in Brisbane?

Our trip (three weeks for Oz and NZ) would be with two non divers (mother and sister). Might it make more sense for us to hire a car for a couple of days and simply drive and dive up to and back from Brisbane, and forego the GBR? Want to maximize good diving, but this can only half be a diving vacation (rest will be spent on wine).

Finally, is it possible to fly from Cairns to NZ, or would this require a flight back to Sydney first?

Thank you all for taking the time to answer these questions!

 

[almitywife]

Just glancing at the site, but would ~$160 (assuming AU) be reasonable for Sydney to Cairns?

.....

yes, i paid about $230 one way only last year but the flights go up and down like crazy... i think last thursday they were down to $126 as they have sales all the time so if you subcribe to their specials you will see how they vary

How does this diving compare to GBR? .

sorry, ive never dived GBR (too expensive for the locals ) but maybe Chrisso (who use to work/live in qld for a while) will come on over the next few days and give you some advise on the comparrison. hes off doing a Anzac day bbq and dive in perth right now.

Either would be fine (if the shore diving is just as good, I'd prefer that to save $). Not to worried about skill level, so any suggestions?
.

shore dive much cheaper...only need to pay for tanks and weights-boat dives cost about $60-$80 down here. you wont get much depth but plenty to see! if i had to suggest sydney boat dives i would say the magic point at maroubra for the grey nurse shark colony or off Long Reef for the apartments/colours

but in saying that....... right now the dusky sharks are in at shelly beach and thats a easy shore dive


oh, and dont forget school holidays for us..... everything gets more expensive at those times so this might help you; http://www.oztourism.com.au/ozhols.htm

cheers and happy to help

 

[almitywife]

Could you provide an estimate to the amount of time needed to make this drive (Sydney to Brisbane)? Any information on the diving one could expect at these destinations? Anything for non-divers in Brisbane?

drive time from Sydney to Brisbane would be about 10/14hrs and you will be driving past the Sunshine Coast/HMAS Brisbane, a scuttled ship that has been there for almost 2 years

Finally, is it possible to fly from Cairns to NZ, or would this require a flight back to Sydney first?

yes you can.... www.webjet.com.au says flight into Auckland, anything from $200AUD to $400AUD one way at the moment

cheers

 

[Rainer]

Thanks for even more suggestions/answers! All extremely useful. After I do more research (next few months), I'm sure I'll have more questions.