We will be vacationing in Tasmania (Hobart), Sydney and Brisbane at the end of December and want to do a little diving. We could use suggestions for good dive operators and sites. We could also use information on water temperature and suggested wetsuit thickness (or is a drysuit needed?).
Tasmania, Sydney, Brisbane
- Thread starter LARCjpn
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Sydney diving that time of year my records show 18 to 20 and of course air temps are quite high. Lots of good shore dives and boat dives here. We belong to Frogdive and Sydney Dive Academy
What do you want to see/ do for dives?:blinking:
What do you want to see/ do for dives?:blinking:
We are pretty much open to anything. We do a lot of shore dives where we live now, but I always enjoy the ease of boat dives. I've been wondering if we need to get certified for dry suits (I'm not sure we'd be able to around here). I know I tend to get cold, but am more then willing to bundle up as much as necessary.
What little research I've had time to do, I keep seeing things about sea horses/sea dragons (which I would LOVE to see). I also just saw a post with some wonderful pictures of seals. We like seeing different animal life as well as wrecks.
Our only problem is that we won't have a lot of time, so I'm thinking we will be doing good if we can do a dive in Tasmania and one in the mainland.
What little research I've had time to do, I keep seeing things about sea horses/sea dragons (which I would LOVE to see). I also just saw a post with some wonderful pictures of seals. We like seeing different animal life as well as wrecks.
Our only problem is that we won't have a lot of time, so I'm thinking we will be doing good if we can do a dive in Tasmania and one in the mainland.
digital_steve
Contributor
For tassie
Island Ocean Charters
Mick davis runs this charter and it's easily my favourite charter and boat in tasmania. You can do diving around Maria Island, on the east coast of tassie, and do the Troy D wreck, the seal colony and caverns at Isle de Phoques and some of the awe-inspiring dives on the west of Maria.
Eaglehawk Dive Centre: The best diving in tasmania
These guys for anything down that way. Cathedral caves is supposed to be awesome (i haven't done them, but been near there) and any diving down that way is generally spectacular
Island Ocean Charters
Mick davis runs this charter and it's easily my favourite charter and boat in tasmania. You can do diving around Maria Island, on the east coast of tassie, and do the Troy D wreck, the seal colony and caverns at Isle de Phoques and some of the awe-inspiring dives on the west of Maria.
Eaglehawk Dive Centre: The best diving in tasmania
These guys for anything down that way. Cathedral caves is supposed to be awesome (i haven't done them, but been near there) and any diving down that way is generally spectacular
almitywife
Vegemite Mod
i really enjoyed diving in tassie - looking forward to doing it again. heres my trip report from last year; http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/australia/205776-tassie-cold-water-diving-trip-almitees.html
the thing with sydney diving is we have alot of choices but depending on what you want to see is where you dive. ie, weedy seadragon is Kurnell, seahorses is either balmoral, clifton or manly nets, grey nurse sharks (if they are around) is magic point/maroubra, and bare island for a bit of everything
cheers
the thing with sydney diving is we have alot of choices but depending on what you want to see is where you dive. ie, weedy seadragon is Kurnell, seahorses is either balmoral, clifton or manly nets, grey nurse sharks (if they are around) is magic point/maroubra, and bare island for a bit of everything
cheers
For tassie most tourists dive 7mm wetties, which can be hired from all shops. Water temps in December can be around 12-15 C. If you are only doing 1-2 dives then its not worth the effort to go dry.
I'd second Steves recommendation of Eaglehawk Dive Centre. A top notch operation. Its one hour drive out of hobart but has some of tassies best diving. Several of their sites (under the mooring at Cathredral and Dragon City) have resident sea dragons. There are also some great caves, walls and, depending on season, a small kelp forest. If you overnight there then you'll find plenty else to do there such as visit Port Arthur and various scenic look outs.
Theres several shops in hobart that offer trips: but although hobart has plenty of nice shore dives its best to head out to eaglehawk and dive there.
Further up the coast is Bicheno Dive centre which has excellent deep (>30 m) diving - but I would only recommend it if you are fully comfortable diving cold water first. Ditto Bay of Fires dive centre at Binalong Bay up the far north east of the state: a very scenic spot to visit.
Haven’t gone out to the Troy D with Mick yet - look forward to doing so next time I get down there. The Isle de Phoques should be good for seals - though personally I've avoided diving in seal colonies.
In the back of my memory there may be a diveable seal colony in/near Melbourne's Port Phillip Bay?
For Brisbane - well although I live here you shouldn't ask me: I despise coral, and I hate having to dive wet...
Temps are way too warm to be healthy: 22-26 c. There’s a few nice wreaks and small reefs but no shore dives: most sites are a long boat ride out from shore. Best way to dive Brisbane is to get on a weekend dive boat (Big Cat Reality) that offers well priced two days diving out to the main sites. Mig-Diver's Pro Dive appears to be the biggest dive shop in town and from what I've seen and heard they are a good operation (though I haven't gotten around to diving with them yet...).
Cheers,
Rohan.
I'd second Steves recommendation of Eaglehawk Dive Centre. A top notch operation. Its one hour drive out of hobart but has some of tassies best diving. Several of their sites (under the mooring at Cathredral and Dragon City) have resident sea dragons. There are also some great caves, walls and, depending on season, a small kelp forest. If you overnight there then you'll find plenty else to do there such as visit Port Arthur and various scenic look outs.
Theres several shops in hobart that offer trips: but although hobart has plenty of nice shore dives its best to head out to eaglehawk and dive there.
Further up the coast is Bicheno Dive centre which has excellent deep (>30 m) diving - but I would only recommend it if you are fully comfortable diving cold water first. Ditto Bay of Fires dive centre at Binalong Bay up the far north east of the state: a very scenic spot to visit.
Haven’t gone out to the Troy D with Mick yet - look forward to doing so next time I get down there. The Isle de Phoques should be good for seals - though personally I've avoided diving in seal colonies.
In the back of my memory there may be a diveable seal colony in/near Melbourne's Port Phillip Bay?
For Brisbane - well although I live here you shouldn't ask me: I despise coral, and I hate having to dive wet...
Temps are way too warm to be healthy: 22-26 c. There’s a few nice wreaks and small reefs but no shore dives: most sites are a long boat ride out from shore. Best way to dive Brisbane is to get on a weekend dive boat (Big Cat Reality) that offers well priced two days diving out to the main sites. Mig-Diver's Pro Dive appears to be the biggest dive shop in town and from what I've seen and heard they are a good operation (though I haven't gotten around to diving with them yet...). Cheers,
Rohan.
I would definitely recommend diving around Eagle Hawk Neck in Tassie, it is fantastic. My favorite diving in Oz. Some good sites are Cathedral Cave, Waterfall Bay caves, Fortesque Bay kelp forest, the Sisters... all awesome dive sites. It is very colorful down there and there is lots of interesting marine life. Some pics: pics1 and pics2. It is a tad cold, even in Dec, so a thick wetsuit two piece 7mm is a good idea - a dry suit will make things even more comfortable. EGN Dive Center and Go Dive are both good operators.
Not too sure about Sy city, but certainly south of Syd Jervis Bay has some awesome diving, and north of Syd there is South West Rocks with Fish Rock cave... both locations have great diving. At SWR you can see grey nurse sharks which is really cool. Some pics.
From Brissie, try going out to Moreton Island... some great wrecks in that area, plus the trusty Curtin Artificial Reef which has a whole bunch of wrecks all in one convenient location. Some pics from that area.
Enjoy!
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