Australia in July

[randreyo]

I am traveling to Australia for vacation in July. We are going to Cairns, Brisbane, and Sidney. In Carins we are already booked for the 4 day liveaboard on the Spirit of Freedom to dive the GBR. When we get back from that trip, we are flying down to Brisbane for a couple days and then driving to Sidney for a couple of days.

My question is this. In Brisbane and Sidney areas, what would be the best dive. I only have a day in each location to dive so i would like to know what divers would recommend as the best dive in each area and which dive shop I should go thru.

That being said... I will be diving with my family and my kids are 12 and 14. That means i cannot do Deep dives (under 21m) or extremely advanced dives. We all have our padi Advanced Certs.

Thanks

 

[Mantra]

If you are in Brisbane itself, try Flinders Reef. A recent thread here has its merits well covered. Even after the GBR you will love it.

Other options would be a day trip to Stradbroke Island or Byron Bay depending on the kind of stuff you like to see. All are shallow sites.

---------- Post added January 26th, 2013 at 09:53 AM ----------

Let us know which of those sites looks most appealing and we can recommend some dive operators If you like sharks, grey nurse sharks (non aggressive) will be appearing around that time.

 

[randreyo]

Flinders reef looks cool. My Daughter loves turtles and i would like to see some Grey Nurse Sharks. I read something about magic point in sidney a good dive for grey nurse sharks

 

[Wobbegong wannabe]

Are you in Brisbane on a weekend? Weekday dives to Flinders can be a problem; Nautilus and Big Cat Reality go out on Sundays but I don't know of a regular operator who dives it other days of the week... If any other local can provide an option I'd love to know, because I'd be keen to use it!

Otherwise, GoDive advertise day trips to Straddie diving from Brisbane on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Manta Dive who are based at Straddie seem to dive every day; you could get to them and back in a day, though it would be a long day (it's a ferry ride from Cleveland east of Brisbane to the Island and back again).

and then driving to Sidney for a couple of days.

Are you doing an overnight stop between Brisbane and Sydney? If so, South West Rocks is about half way between the two cities and has Fish Rock Cave, which is meant to be awesome!

 

[randreyo]

I will be arriving in brisbane on Monday the 1st and probibly staying Tues, Wed, thurs. Driving to Sidney on Friday and staying in sidney on sat and sun, flying monday so saturday is the only dive day avilable in sidney. If there is diving between brisbane and sidney, maybe i could leave on thurdsay, dive somewhere in the middle on friday morning and continue on to sidney on friday after the dive. I am just playing it loose.. no real plans yet. My wife must tour the opra house and walk over the bridge in sidney. Not my idea but if i want to stay married, that must be accomplished. LOL.

 

[clownfishsydney]

One thing that really pisses off a Sydney-sider is spelling the name of our our city as Sidney . Sidney was the funny fellow in the "Carry On" movies. While you might live in a town named after a male Christian name, we do not (it is named after Lord Sydney, the British Home Secretary in 1788 when Sydney was founded)

Anyway, to help you, the best bet in Sydney would be to contact Pro Dive and go out to Magic Point to dive the grey nurse sharks. They are the only boat that runs most days.

By the way, it is a very long drive from Brisbane to Sydney on what is still a goat track in parts. It is really at least a one and a half day drive to make it comfortable, two days to enable some sightseeing on the way. If you do go earlier, dive Byron Bay on the way instead of Sydney.

 

[randreyo]

One thing that really pisses off a Sydney-sider is spelling the name of our our city as Sidney . Sidney was the funny fellow in the "Carry On" movies. While you might live in a town named after a male Christian name, we do not (it is named after Lord Sydney, the British Home Secretary in 1788 when Sydney was founded)


Sorry for the spelling error. Not sure how to edit prior posts. I would would fix if i knew how.

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[ozzydamo]

One thing that really pisses off a Sydney-sider is spelling the name of our our city as Sidney . Sidney was the funny fellow in the "Carry On" movies. While you might live in a town named after a male Christian name, we do not (it is named after Lord Sydney, the British Home Secretary in 1788 when Sydney was founded)

Anyway, to help you, the best bet in Sydney would be to contact Pro Dive and go out to Magic Point to dive the grey nurse sharks. They are the only boat that runs most days.

By the way, it is a very long drive from Brisbane to Sydney on what is still a goat track in parts. It is really at least a one and a half day drive to make it comfortable, two days to enable some sightseeing on the way. If you do go earlier, dive Byron Bay on the way instead of Sydney.

The nice thing about Ol'Sidneysiders is they don't care much for names all that much- tell me do you come from the southside or moved to Sidney from Malverne?
Hint* Balmainiacs live in another world altogether......

Back on topic; Shore dives from Shelly beach are a must do event for divers also Bare Island(not that I've ever gone to the southside!).........

 

[Oldbear]

Sorry for the spelling error. Not sure how to edit prior posts. I would would fix if i knew how.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Not exactly an answer to your first question ...

I make most of my editorials in MS Word and adjust my spelling and grammar there. Once I like it I COPY and PASTE into ScubaBoard and add any pictures or smiley faces. I am a horrible speller and have a tendency to “fat-finger” my typing.

Enjoy the trip.

 

[Mantra]

There sure is a lot of diving en route between Brisbane and Sydney. Look into diving with Sundive at Byron Bay or Jetty Dive at Coffs Harbour (for Julian Rocks and the Solitaries marine parks respectively - both great areas!) My pick would by Byron Bay as it is wonderful diving and very easy dive sites at the rocks, but Coffs is a more central half way point. It's a long drive! Australia is a big place.

EDIT: there is a little 'edit post' link under each of your posts if you are logged in. Next to 'reply'.