Cairns or Gold Coast for post-dive

[mikeyjoe]

Hi All,

We are going next March to Brisbane for a week and then Aukland for a week - diving in both.

I have pretty much figured out that our best bet is to go north to Cairns and do a 3 day liveaboard.

My question is this - we want to spend the balance of the week to experience the best Australia has to offer for a beach vacation.

Do we find a place for a few days in Cairns before we head down to Brisbane for our flight to NZ, or do we head south right away and kick back on the Gold Coast. We don't plan on doing any diving for these 3-4 days. That being said, I may go out for a 2 tank if I get itchy feet..... The Mrs needs some beach time.

 

[MA]

gold coast - beaches are nice but the buildings hide all the sun. For beach time i'd recommend Port douglas (1 hr north of cairns) unless it stinger season. otherwise maybe the sunshine coast - noosa, mooloolabah. Or Airlie beach which is up north too. Or south of gold coast to Byron Bay - apparently good diving there too if you want to squeeze a couple in.

liveaboard in cairns - make sure you get to northern barrier reef (cod hole, steves bommie's area) rather than the outer reef. coral bleached, not much colour.

just to throw in another option - lady elliot island - very south end of barrier reef for diving or snorkelling.

 

[Aquapro Dive Services]

I live in Cairns and although love the Gold Coast it is still too busy and as MA said the buildings hide all the sun.
Just north of Cairns - Port Douglas as MA said again and Palm Cove have great beaches.
You can stay in Cairns and in 20 mins drive to some awesome sand. But personally I would go to Mission Beach about 45 mins drive south.
Used to live there too and it has 14km of beaches with virtually no one on it. Sleepy but very, very beautiful place. Rainforest and sand. Plus Dunk Island is 10 mins water taxi trip away.
Kev

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Discount dive travel to the Barrier Reef and Coral Sea - live aboard and day trips.

Cairns Discount Scuba Diving Trips - Great Barrier Reef

 

[marinediva]

If you are coming into Brisbane it seems a long way 2000km to go to the GBR for 3 days diving when you have some great dive spots within 100km of the airport.

HMAS brisbane is a dive just off the Sunshine coast and has diving every day, it is one hour away.
They have recently started to a regular night dive as well.
This is truly a great wreck to dive on, and in.
Dive HMAS Brisbane - Diving HMAS Brisbane - Scubaworld

Big Cat Reality is a great boat which leaves from Brisbane every friday, and tours Fitroy reef. Eight dives with all included two nights accomodation and food, for $425 is great value.

Scuba Diving on Moreton Bay — Big Cat Reality

Byron Bay has fantastic diving and just 2 hours from Brisbane Great beaches as well.

If you continue down the coast you discover the one of Australia's biggest well kept secrets,
the Solitary Islands. This is where topical waters meet temperate waters and is fantastic complete with caves and a very diverse selection of marine life.

Wooli Dive Centre Wooli New South Wales Australia

The area covered from HMAS Brisbane to Solitary Islands is roughly 500km.
Half day drive through some of the best tourist drives south east Qld and Nth NSW has to offer.
The diving is as good as if not better than the GBR and certainly a hell of a lot cheaper.