Three months diving in Australia - where to stay?

[apadua]

Hello fellow divers,

The title says it all - I took a year off from work and will travel around the world. My first part of the trip, which goes from Late January to End of April, will be based in Australia. And that's why this post.

My objective is to live somewhere where I can get the most dives in and where the liveaboards are the cheapest and/or best (but i'd be happy with somewhere where day-trips and shore dives exists - my budget is certainly not enough to live on a boat all the time).

My secondary objective is to be somewhere I can use as a starting point to visit Palau, PNG, NZ, Indonesia, Thailand, and other places.

From the research I've done so far, apparently Cairns is the place for Reef diving. But it doesn't seem to be much of a hub for airline travel within the region (maybe boat-travel?). So i've considered living in Cairns for a month or so, then moving to Sydney for the remainder of the time.

The move from Cairns to Sydney could also be a slow drive down the coast, stopping and diving at every interesting spot along the way.


Any recommendations? Tips (money-saving, time-saving, etc)? Gotchas?


Thanks so much for your time,

Andre

 

[Andrew Jones]

Get to Cairns and provided you are looking for clean basic accommodation I will talk to a friend who offers short term accommodation close to town at a reasonable price. Dont decide on your trips until you arrive for 2 reasons. Weather and potential discounts because around Feb will be quieter than it is now.
Likewise the campervan industry is high priced and booming brcasuse of high season demand, however after your month in Cairns the rates will have dropped significantly, and you can travel in a basic camper for very little money while giving you the flexibility to go where you want and dive where you want anywhere in Oz and drop the van of say.... even on the west coast whilst doing some land lubber things as well.

Thats the way I would suggest you go.

Cheers Andy

 

[Aquapro Dive Services]

There are plenty of decent budget accomodation options in Cairns. Sharehouse Cairns, Share House ? Cairns Central Share House offer shared appartments for much cheaper than hostels, but you need to be here for a month or more.

Also local paper always has tons of ads for share houses.

But diving wise its not cheap. No shore dives worth talking about and all boats. You can get some decent deals on the trips and if you are here for a while I suggest you check out our facebook page (just search for us on FB) as we post the last minute deals on the live aboards, so you can often get great savings on Cod Hole trips.

I would stay in Cairns, as you said, for a month or 2 then go further south as there is some fantastic diving away from the Barrier Reef (see a similar post http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/australia/358701-diving-australia.html). But you can't come all the way to Australia and not dive the Reef!

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

 

[apadua]

These are great tips. I'll certainly look into them. Regarding budget, i'm not too concerned - all i meant is that 12 full weeks of Mike Ball back-to-back are out of my budget. But decent accomodations and the diving costs for this trip were properly planned for and I'm ok with spending what it takes to get to the best spots.

By the way, my main passion is UW photography, so whenever two different destinations are tied, i'll go for the one with the better photos.

PS3> I'd love to take pictures of both SeaDragons. I think i'll hvae to dive near Adelaide for that - am I right?

 

[Aquapro Dive Services]

Spirit of Freedom and Mike Ball cater best for photographers, and if you are on a budget look at Taka as an alternative (cheaper as it does not fly one leg up).

Cairns Live Aboard Over Night Dive Trips To The Outer Barrier Reef, Cod Hole And Coral Sea.

As for Sea Dragons, you an also see them in Victoria under the piers like Portsea etc. Shore dibves. Not dives there for a few years now but am sure they will still be around


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

 

[Fishfngr]

Hi Apadua: Leafy Sea dragons are primarily found in South Australian waters, with the weedy definently in the Sydney area. Diving in PNG is great . I've been to Rabaul, Kavieng and Madang. Unfortunanently Madang has no dive shop now, so no one to service the trade up there.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

On your way down from Queensland a day trip or two to Solitary Islands is worthwhile and probably fairly affordable .. they have some great dives there. We dived out of Coffs and found accommodation quite reasonable a Kerrora Court.

Further down diving at South West Rocks is great we are in the process of planning the SB INvade the Rock for March. Fishrock Cave is one of those dives you will never regret doing!

In Sydney there is heaps of easily accessible shore dives. I know I am biased but Sydney is often under appreciated as a dive destination. Maybe we can touch bases and show you some dive sites when you are here!

 

[MsCougar]

HI, on your way down the coast come diving at Tweed Coast (on the border of Queensland and New South Wales). 15-20 minutes on a fast boat to Cook Island and the nearby reefs. I recommend: KIRRA DIVE "On The Tweed"

 

[apadua]

These are all wonderful tips! I've looked at the places you guys have sent up and indeed they all seem very cool.

Thanks!!!

 

[bracko]

Sydney offers some great diving sites and depending on your certification level some awesome wreck dives.

yes, weedy sea dragons are found here and pretty much all over the lower part of the eastern coast, I've seen the biggest in Jervis bay (a great spot for grey nurse sharks)