Diving Byron Bay

[TSandM]

Oh, you guys are making me start scheming about how to get discount airline tickets . . .

 

[paschen]

After you have gone out on Esperance Star or Big Cat Reality in Brisbane - Don't forget the Coast for diving!! The Gold Coast that is! (where the Indi Race is every year) We are an hour south of brisbane and an hour to byron. Not too shabby shore dives - not the GBR but nice and enjoyable. Also we have Narrow Neck, Kirra (plus stacks of others) and I will include Cook Island as ours... even though it is technically in another state. Like Julian Rocks, it is a marine reserve. While there aren't the GNS's that you see at Julian Rocks (was there 3 weeks ago and saw three) the marine life is amazing - and if the conditions are right - you can get in at Mary's Rock and drift into a drop off and you are out of the current and surrounded with life. Dolphins, sunfish, lots of nudis etc. Just out past Cook is Fidos - which is a fantastic drift dive (did a drift dive with a pod of humpbacks there around 2 months ago).
Brisbane as some great bombie (Shark Rock) and wreck dives, the Coast as some lovely reef dives, then hit Byron after Cook.
All this is making me want to go diving this weekend - though I have promised to take some friends snorkelling instead...
Oh yeah - if you are in Brisbane - go to Bundaberg and dive the Lady Musgrave. Mantas in Summer and Humpbacks in Winter.

 

[AndyNZ]

We fell in love with the country, which is incredibly beautiful and inhabited by the warmest, friendliest people.

Really?! Wow, are you sure your flight didn't get diverted somewhere en route without you realising? That doesn't sound like the West Island to me.....

Before the Aussies get too mardy, I am only joking!

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

Really?! Wow, are you sure your flight didn't get diverted somewhere en route without you realising? That doesn't sound like the West Island to me.....

Mate - if you read her report its clear the local natives could speak English - ruling out being diverted to NZ. Sorry aboot thut eh bro?

Now if it was Australia's Southern Isle then that's a different matter, but she said nothing about discovering paradise on her journey...

Sounds like South West Rocks, Solitary and Byron are a must do (as are all the vinyards en route from Sydney...). Would would be the best wreaks along NSW's coast and what are the best wreaks off Sydney?

Cheers,
Rohan.

 

[AndyNZ]

Mate - if you read her report its clear the local natives could speak English - ruling out being diverted to NZ. Sorry aboot thut eh bro?

Sweet as bro', won't get any complaints from me, ay?

Being a pom in exile, quite happy to rib the Aussies, the Kiwis *AND* the English. I'd cope a bit more easily if people here could count to ten...... one, two, three, four, five, SEX, seven, eight, nine, TIN.....

 

[Traminer]

Hi guys... sorry for resurrecting this almost dead thread but I was just looking to hear some updates about diving off Byron Bay. Am there for a couple of days over Christmas and wondered if I should bring my gear over. Am used to diving in the warm waters back home in Asia in Thailand/Malaysia/Philippines.

How good are the conditions in Dec? What will I expect in terms of terrain/vis/wildlife? Could use some insights, thanks!

 

[TSandM]

Byron Bay, NSW - December 2006 - Daily Weather Observations

byronbay-accommodation.com : Weather Information guide to Byron Bay, Australia

Water temperatures:

Water Temperatures » Planula

Sounds like fairly hot on land, and very warm in the water. What the owners of Planula Lodge told us was that there is a fair seasonal variation in the species you see there, as the water temperatures shift.

I still think Byron Bay was some of the best diving I've done, and I've since been to Indonesia, Cozumel, the Virgin Islands, and multiple trips to Hawaii.

 

[almitywife]

just my 2cents is school hols start mid december and the monsters dont go back until 1st week of Feb so expect accomodation prices to increase and bigger crowds

cheers and enjoy :multi:

 

[Northerner]

We got back from a weekend in Byron last weekend and had a fantastic time diving there (again, with Sundive). Second time we've been up there and would go back in a heartbeat - just a massive profusion of life, huge leggerheads, big grey nurse sharks on 2 of 4 dives, queensland gropers, fish, fish, fish!!

On the way back to the shore on one dive (a 10 min trip max) we saw mating loggerheads, a small hammerhead sunning itself and dolphins. This just tells you a little about what the life is like aroound there.

South west rocks was mentioned - another fantastic, fantastic location. We are up there over Christmas and can't wait.

TSandM - really glad you enjoyed the diving in Oz and a great trip report!!

Graham