Best diving in Western Australia?

[gabyne]

Hi dear Scubaboard-members,

my boyfriend and I will visit Oz mid of November and will drive around mainly in Western Australia. What are the spots not to be missed? So far on my list:

- Busselton Jetty
- maybe Rotten Island/Perth
- Ningaloo Reef, Coral Bay (is it better than the Barrier Reef or not? ;-))
- Monkey Mia area
...

Would be glad to hear your opinions! Does anyone have some tips for good dive shops?

Thanks a lot,
Gaby

 

[drbill]

I've heard Ningaloo and Dangerous Reefs are good spots. But then I've heard mixed reports on Ningaloo from friends who have dived there. They are on my list for my next trip to Australia.

Dr. Bill

 

[blacklatexozdiver]

Ningaloo is supposedly one of the best sites in W.A. I haven't done it yet. I have done the reefs off the Perth coast - they are fabulous IMHO. Rottnest is supposedly good too. Don't forget the two ex RAN ships HMAS Swan and HMAS Perth off Albany and Dunsborough - they are supposed to be very good. They are deeper dives - not really for just Open Water divers. Try www.mindive.com.au and www.diveoz.com for info on diving in W.A.

 

[alcina]

You've got a pretty good list and some good tips already - Perth is definitely under-rated for diving, I think. The Marmion Marine Park has some awesome areas, too.

As for Ningaloo - I am biased...diving it for almost 9 years now and love it. Never bored. It is not Fiji or Cozumel so don't expect the bright colours and 200' viz. Do expect amazing hard coral formations, excellent limestone structures & ledges and tons of marine life. Schools of fish, mantas (mostly from Coral Bay in November), turtles, sharks, eels, rays, sea snakes (mostly from Exmouth), tons of nudibranchs and all manner of other creatures. If you are looking for some of that bright soft stuff then head for the Muiron Islands, the Sponge Gardens (expect low viz but truly spectacular sponges, whips and neato stuff) and Bundegi...all out of Exmouth. From Coral Bay, be there on a Thursday for the full day tour that heads farther north of the townsite when conditions permit - these are wonderful areas. November water will still be cool - probably between 20 - 23C depending on the site and the conditions of the day. Visibility is impossible to predict...could be from 5m - 40m+ - all on the same day! No matter what the viz is, there is more than enough to keep you occupied underwater.

Here is a link to a report I did a few months back. NOTE: this trip is not offered as it was a once in a lifetime deal, but several of the sites are similar to those dived daily - Day Two is relevant to the Coral Bay full day tour...
Ningaloo Trip Report

If you need any info just PM me - always happy to help!

 

[MarkH]

Hi dear Scubaboard-members,

my boyfriend and I will visit Oz mid of November and will drive around mainly in Western Australia. What are the spots not to be missed? So far on my list:

- Busselton Jetty
- maybe Rotten Island/Perth
- Ningaloo Reef, Coral Bay (is it better than the Barrier Reef or not? ;-))
- Monkey Mia area
...

Would be glad to hear your opinions! Does anyone have some tips for good dive shops?

Thanks a lot,
Gaby

I've only been to Rottnest last year, but it is excellent temperate water diving. Very colourful in the caverns. I went with Malibu Diving as they are the only shop on the island (the others do charters out of Fremantle). They picked us up with a bus in Perth/Fremantle and took us out with their boat. Between dives, we spent a couple hours on the island. Very nice place. This link has my pictures/comments on the trip.ROTTNEST ISLAND

 

[aussie_shark_bait]

I am moving over to Perth in 7 weeks, so will let you know once i am there.
I can't wait to dive the swan with my partner and his Dad. His Dad was the Supply Officer on board when he resigned his commission as a RAN Officer, Mitch (my partner) was the decommissioning crew for the Swan went it decommissioned so I am looking forward to taking them both diving on it. His Dad has a photo of himself right after resigning looking out off the starboard waste, I would very much like to replicate that photo 30years past with him - only underwater. To add on his naval wall.

 

[shoalwater]

I am moving over to Perth in 7 weeks, so will let you know once i am there.
I can't wait to dive the swan with my partner and his Dad. His Dad was the Supply Officer on board when he resigned his commission as a RAN Officer, Mitch (my partner) was the decommissioning crew for the Swan went it decommissioned so I am looking forward to taking them both diving on it. His Dad has a photo of himself right after resigning looking out off the starboard waste, I would very much like to replicate that photo 30years past with him - only underwater. To add on his naval wall.

I've sailed down to the Swan from Perth the last couple of summers, it's a great area for lazing about afloat. Sounds like your party would be very interesting to dive with... Send me a PM if you like the idea of trading stories for accommodation above the wreck.

Hi Gabyne,
There is some great diving at Rottnest and if you don't have much time the Charter operators are a good option. If you are on a more relaxed schedule and don't like a crowd I may be looking for buddies mid-week ...

 

[Roz Amos]

I will put on a vote for the Navy Pier out of Exmouth - a shore dive with no coral or pretty stuff to see, but incredible variety of life in 12m of water. The twilight dive there was absolutely awesome! Agree that the Muirons are a bit limited life wise - did not think they were worth the trip particularly. The coral is worse than the best but better than the worst on the GBR, IMO, but the variety of life at the other Ningaloo sites over there was pretty impressive, particularly the mantas.

 

[aussie_shark_bait]

I've sailed down to the Swan from Perth the last couple of summers, it's a great area for lazing about afloat. Sounds like your party would be very interesting to dive with... Send me a PM if you like the idea of trading stories for accommodation above the wreck.

Sounds great - Next time you are down that way you will have to come up and have bbq and we sample some of our home brew, we made our own beer fridge with tap that holds three kegs - hmm very nice summer i am about to come in to..

ASB

 

[gabyne]

Hi there,
thanks a lot for all the info and links you provided. I will check them out.

Sorry for the Freudian slip: I just realized I wrote "rotten island" instead of "rottnest island"... What was I thinking about at this moment...??

Cheers and happy diving,
Gaby