Diving in Australia in June

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David Novo

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Location
Porto, Portugal, Europe
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100 - 199
I am planning to spend 3 weeks in June/July visiting in Australia + some days diving and would like to know which you consider the best options (all include Yongala wreck at some point):

1) Great Barrier Reef liveaboard to Cod Hole / Ribbon Reefs w/ minke whales;

2) 3-nights Great White Shark safari from Port Lincoln (I am Portuguese so its expensive to get to Guadalupe Island - South Africa GWS diving seems a bit limited to surface);

3) Ningaloo Reef (the most out-of-the-way option).
 
To be fair i never dove or even been to Australia but if i were you i would go for 2nd option, great whites beat everything else
 
It'll be the middle of winter so I'd be staying in Queensland.
 
Visibility? Wind? Or just cold water?
Visibility is probably better in the winter and it can be windy any time of the year. It'll be that cold you'll struggle, unless you're diving dry. The water isn't THAT cold, 12-13 degs, but the surface intervals will be painful.
 
Ningaloo will also deliver and often in June/July you get excellent interactions with big stuff

Ningaloo Visitor Centre - Ningaloo Wildlife Calendar

Water will also be warm. Anywhere above the 26th parallel you can expect 3 - 5mm diving at most, south of Australia will be 7mm or dry.

Yongala will always be up there in my top 5 wrecks. Rarely disappoints but Ayre is also not the easiest place to get to...Australia's a massive continent with pretty poor transport links to some of the best dive sites unfortunately but neither Ningaloo or the Yongala cannot be reached by a flight from major cities and either hire car or pickup (having said that the only flights to Exmouth are from Perth AFAIK).
 
June is the best time to do the Ribbon Reef (Cod Hole) area as its the start of the Minke whale migration. Ths runs until September and is well worth the effort to be able to swim with them.

2 main trips running Mondays and Fridays. Spirit of Freedom and Mike Ball. Book out months months in advance so get in early.

Lots said about the Yongala and again a amazing dive with daily departures so easy to schedule.
 

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