Dive Advice for January bet Cairns and Brisbane?

[ALaskowski]

My friends and I plan to fly over to Australia and arrive in Cairns right after new years and spend some time diving there and then make our way down to Brisbane by car and make any appropriate stops along the way to do whatever including more diving for maybe a week to a week and a half.

The question now is dive what, where, and with what operations. And that is what I was hoping you could all recommend! We would not be opposed to a 3 day liveaboard excursion, but no more than that, as we do not have the additional time. The rest would have to be day trips.

So, what can you all recommend we do and who to do it with?? We obviously need to get in GBR. I would also love to see some pelagics and maybe a wreck or two.

Also, on a somewhat related note, my friends wanted to do some surfing, but I warned the sea wasps might cause a problem with that near the shore. Advice on sea wasps and their friends iracon...irican...really tiny sea wasps?

 

[MA]

- if you can do a coral sea/ribbon reeg (north barrier reef) liveaboard from cairns. it is more expensive than the outer reef liveaboards but its well worth the extra for awesome dive sites.
- for a wreck you can't go past the Yongala - fish on steroids - they are huge! and as there is nothing else out there you get all forms of life. Dive yongala from Townsville or since you have a car Ayr might be best as its only 45 mins out to the site.

Have fun!

 

[BB1]

The Venus 2 for a 3 day liveaboard to Lady Musgrave Island is not bad. Cost doesn't break the bank and the crew are fun! Leaves from Bundaberg.

Add in the HMAS Brisbane at Mooloolabba for definite - great wreck!

Between Brisbane and the Gold Coast you have these sites amongst others:

Flinders reef

Flat rock (off stradebroke island)

Cook Island (1 1/2 hours south of Brisbane at the gold coast 'ish)

Anywhere south of Fraser island is pretty safe from Irikanji (stingers) but don't even think about getting in the water without a stinger suit on up north!!!

 

[OnTheSpot]

You really must do a three night liveabaord out of Cairns to the Ribbon Reefs and Cod Hole (four nights includes shark action on Osprey Reef).

The Ribbon Reefs are long, thin strips of reef, which form the outer edges of the Great Barrier Reef around 50 km - 100 km off the northern Queensland shore and so are accessed only by liveaboards. They are good for Underwater photography, large animals, reef life and health and small animals.

Three boats make this trip - Spoilsport and Spirit of Freedom include a low-level flight and Taka.

Video of Spoilsport.

SS Yongala is another must do dive, out of Alva Beach just south of Cairns she has been voted one of the top wreck dives in the world.

 

[WetPup]

Re: surfing - you're not going to find much till you get south of the Town of 1770 (Agnes Waters). There's this giant reef in the way otherwise If a cyclone is around you get a bit of chop, but it's not usually worth it. But south of 1770 there's surf, and less concerns about the jellies as well.

Others have given good advice regarding the diving

 

[Aquapro Dive Services]

As MA and OnTheSpt mention the Ribbon Reefs are the best trips but there are plenty of alternatives. You can do 2 day 1 night or 3 day 2 night trips departing every day out of Cairns. They visit the Outer Reef areas and have great dive sites.

Heres a link to a few of them Cairns Live Aboard Over Night Dive Trips To The Outer Barrier Reef, Cod Hole And Coral Sea.

No surf in Cairms orteh coast in the far north Queesnaland as teh Barrier Reef stops teh wave build up. As for Irukanji you dont get them in surf areas. You do get them along the coat of Cairns etc. Diving no problem, juts swimming outside the stinger net areas.

wrecks - see the Yongala which is an awesome dive Yongala Wreck Dives From Ayr Or Townsville

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Cairns Discount Dive And Snorkel Trips. Live Aboard And Day Trips To The Great Barrier Reef

 

[lorien]

As you know, I LOVED our trip on the Spirit of Freedom, I think they have 3 day options. The diving was exceptional, the crew fantastic, food was excellent and lodgings were very good as well. What more can you ask for? And you are in the right area as well geographically.

 

[ALaskowski]

Thank you all for the advice so far. You have given me a starting point to work with.

 

[Andy Mason]

Hi,

I live in Brisbane and here are my suggestions.

Drive up to Port Douglass and spend a night there (beautiful).

Die the outer reef out of Cairns.

Stop overnight in Mission Beach - beautiful place worth seeing.

Whitsundays - stunningly beautiful islands and some ok diving. I'd recommend an overnight on one of the big sailing boats out of there.

Townsille - overnight on Magnetic Island and dive there (short ferry ride) and then an hour south is the Yongala (overnight there and dive the wreck). There are also lie-a-boards out of here that combine the Yongalla and the reef.

1770 has great diving. I have dived with '1770 Undersea Adventures' who are awesome and can organise accommodation.

Bundaberg has great diving on the Bunker Group of Islands. One of the earlier posts mentioned an affordable live-a-board or there are dive shops.

Also consider Lady Elliot for a few days of affordable and great diving on a beautiful little coral island. You'll fly there from Bundaberg. Awesome.

Dive Wolf Rock out of Rainbow beach.

Check out Noosa/Sunshine Beach. Nice place.

Do a weekend on Big Cat Reality out of Brisbane. Great.

Alteratively take the vehicle ferry to Stradbroke Island and stay and dive with Manta Lodge.

Also if you have time drive a couple of hours south to Byron Bay and overnight and dive there. Awesome town and good diving.

 

[ALaskowski]

Thanks! That is a wealth of options to choose from. We may never get to any other parts of the country.