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Australia
Australia is one of
the most exciting and diverse countries in the world. It is in the
unique position of being able to offer visitors with a wide range of
experiences from the beauty of the outback, to the sophisticated
culture of major cities like Sydney and Melbourne to the breathtaking
magnificence of the Great Barrier Reef. A multi-cultural country with
warm, friendly people and a lifestyle envied around the world.
Being one of
the world’s largest islands, surrounded by miles of ever
changing coastline Australia is a divers paradise. With so many fascinating
areas to choose from we have highlighted two of the most popular
for you: Queensland’s World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef
and Western Australia’s Coral Coast.
GENERAL INFORMATION:
CLIMATE:
In North Queensland the temperatures average around 31 degrees Celsius
year round and the best months for diving are between August and January.
It is a tropical climate and can be very hot and humid and rainy in January.
Western Australia experiences a much drier climate , but with the same
pleasant sunny temperatures year round. The warmest months are between
August and March.
CURRENCY:
The Dollar is the unit of currency. One Australian Dollar is equivalent
to approximately .90 US Dollars.
DRESS:
Light, casual clothing is recommended for the summer months and something
warm for cooler evenings. Due to the sunny climate, protective clothing,
broad rimmed hats, sunglasses and sunscreens are recommended.
ENTRY
REQUIREMENTS: US passengers travelling to Australia
will require a passport which must be valid for six months beyond your
intended stay and also a tourist visa to be obtained prior to travel.
HEALTH
REQUIREMENTS: Vaccination certificates only required
if coming from infected zones.
LANGUAGE:
English is the official language spoken, but with many immigrants from
all areas of the globe several other languages are spoken widely including
Italian, Greek and Japanese.
ELECTRICITY:
Electricity is 240 volts.
DEPARTURE
TAX: Australian Departure Tax and Sydney Noise
Levy must be prepaid and shown
on your airline ticket.
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QUEENSLAND
GREAT
BARRIER REEF
The Great
Barrier Reef is the world’s largest expanse of living coral reef,
stretching for more than 2000km from Cape York at the very tip of
mainland Australia to Gladstone in the south. The Great Barrier Reef
comprises 2900 individual reefs and 71 coral islands which support an incredibly
diverse range of sponge, coral, molluscs, echinoderms and fish. The
variety of diving options will surprise and delight you. While many of
the best reef dives are quite a distance offshore and accessed by charter
boat, on some coral cays and islands, you can literally walk off the beach
and dive into coral wonderland.
CAIRNS
COLONIAL CLUB RESORT
The Cairns Colonial
Club Resort is the perfect place to relax and unwind overnight before
connecting to the various diving cruises available on the Great Barrier
Reef. Set in lush tropical gardens the resort provides facilities
such as swimming pools, tennis court, fitness centre, sauna, spa,
restaurants, cafe, etc. Accommodation is in air-conditioned rooms
with ceiling fans, direct dial phones, television, fridge and coffee/tea-making
facilities.
 
THE
SPIRIT OF FREEDOM
In December 2002 the
Spirit of Freedom became Cairns’ first luxury live-aboard dive cruise
vessel operating to Australia’s Coral Sea. She offers a level of
comfort to satisfy the most discerning dive traveller with electronic
stabilisers to ensure the smoothest cruising, three spacious passenger
entertainment areas, including sun deck, lounge /bar, and dining saloon
and a range of cabins with private bathrooms for up to 28 passenger.
At 37 metres Spirit
is one of Australia’s largest liveaboard dive vessels and with her
classic lines, white exterior, and polished timber & chrome, she appears
more private motor yacht than liveaboard dive vessel.
MIKE
BALL EXPEDITIONS - LIVEABOARDS
Mike
Ball’s operates some of Australia’s most prestigious
and comfortable live aboard dive vessels. On offer is sensational
Coral Sea diving 150 miles offshore, with 45 metre underwater visibility,
an awesome shark dive from the world’s largest shark cage plus
the incredible Yongala wreck.
UNDERSEA
EXPLORER
Great diving on
the Great Barrier Reef is not necessarily intuitive. The visiting
diver needs a good guide and there is none better than the Undersea
Explorer. Not only do they consistently achieve the best and
most varied diving in Queensland, but their educational programs
turn a diving holiday into a learning experience. Beautiful
warm water, big creatures, experienced staff and great food makes
the Undersea Explorer the best dive vacation in the world. Travelling
to far away reefs and exotic islands are just some of the experiences
that are offered. Night dives
with biologists, bringing up ancient animals from the deep, and movie
marathons in the evenings make this boat more than just a vacation.
TAKA
DIVE AUSTRALIA - ‘TAKA II’
The ‘Taka
II’ is a 22 metre vessel with a cruising speed of 11 knots.
She can accommodate 28 passengers in air-conditioned cabins. There
are 7 two berth and 3 four berth cabins. The vessel has E6 photo
processing on board and underwater photography courses are available
for those wishing to learn about taking underwater shots.
THE YONGALA
This world famous
wreck went down during a cyclone in 1911 taking everyone on board
with her. Protected by the Historic Shipwrecks Act, she is now home
to amazing arrays of marine life. Prepare to do some whale watching,
as Humpback Whales are spotted regularly between the months of July
- September
NIMROD EXPLORER
Our small, 18-passenger liveaboard dive vessel Nimrod Explorer offers dive travelers the opportunity to explore Australia's magical Great Barrier Reef, without the crowds accommodated on the larger liveaboard dive vessels in the area.
The Nimrod Explorer offers trips from 4 to 8 days along the Ribbon Reefs, the Cod Hole and even farther north, to the rarely visited northern reaches of the Great Barrier Reef approaching Papua New Guinea. Trips depart every Tuesday and Saturday, and offer the chance to experience the large pelagics and awesome visibility of the Coral Sea's Osprey Reef; at certain times of the year, manta rays, rare dwarf minke whales and other large pelagics offer a variety of experiences befitting the world's largest barrier reef system.
Staffed by a crew of six, the Nimrod Explorer is ideally sized and equipped both for shorter trips for travelers passing through Cairns, to longer expeditions to the far reaches of the Great Barrier Reef. A twin-engine power catamaran, the vessel is spacious and very stable, and offers amenities normally seen on much larger boats. Guests are accommodated in 3 large double and 3 spacious quadruple cabins, each of which has ensuite facilities and plenty of storage. For longer trips, two of the three quadruple staterooms can be converted to spacious double staterooms.
The nicely-appointed main salon offers dining and relaxation areas, as well as a well-equipped entertainment center and bar area. The large shaded top deck offers an open-air respite from the sun, while the expansive bow serves as a welcome warm-up between dives.
Four to five dives are conducted daily directly from the expansive aft dive deck, with entries made directly off of the twin dive platforms into the water. The vessel is well-stocked with quality diving gear for each guest for those passing through the area as part of a longer trip; nonetheless, the crew's experience and qualifications are well suited for those traveling specifically to experience one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. PADI courses from open water certification through advanced and specialty courses, as well as solo diving courses, are also offered.
 
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ISLAND
RESORTS OF THE
GREAT BARRIER REEF
LADY
ELLIOT ISLAND
Situated
on the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef, Lady Elliot Island
is just 80km north east of Bundaberg and accessible by plane as it
is the only coral cay on the reef to have its own airstrip. Flights
from Bundaberg take just 25 minutes.
 
The atmosphere on the island is very relaxed and casual
with accommodation in comfortable cabins with their own private facilities,
or rough it in style in a tent cabin with shared toilet. There is a
general dining area for all meals and 24 hour tea/coffee making facilities
are available. Staff are happy to pack a picnic lunch for you to take
to a secluded beach on the island, or maybe you prefer a reef walk,
or glass bottom boat ride or just swim in the coral pool and feed the
fish. If you have never scuba dived before Lady Elliot is a great place
to learn with professional instructors who are experienced in local
conditions and there is an underwater trail for easy guidance while
diving.
HERON
ISLAND
Heron Island is
without doubt Australia’s premier diving location. After
spending the day exploring the warm, clear waters and the amazing
reefs surrounding this island you can unwind and enjoy the facilities
of an international resort. Resort facilities include restaurant,
cocktail bar, tennis court, swimming pools, coffee shop, child -minding
facilities and a games room. Heron also offer Open Water Diving Certificate
courses, night dives and adventure diving which involves a full day
trip to outlying virgin reefs. There are three main grades of accommodation
to suit all budgets. The Heron Suites (38 in total) are beachside with
a two room configuration with balcony/refrigerator/ceiling fan and
tea/coffee making facilities. The Reef Suites are smaller in size with
refrigerator, balcony, ceiling fan and tea/coffee making facilities.
The Turtle Cabins are bungalow style accommodation with ceiling fan
and share toilet facilities. Heron Island is reached by a two hour
catamaran trip from Gladstone, or by helicopter a fifteen minute low
flying experience.
 
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WESTERN AUSTRALIA
EXMOUTH
Exmouth is one
of the newest towns in Australia founded in 1967 as a support town
for the US Naval Communications Station and is the nearest access
point for the magnificent Ningaloo Marine Park. The Ningaloo Reef is the
largest Fringing Coral reef in the world. It is home to over 500
species of fish and 250 soft and hard corals. March is coral spawning
time and this triggers the arrival of the world’s largest fish,
the whale shark. During winter months humpback whales and their calves
migrate to rest and play in these warm waters. During the summer
months giant turtles can be seen as they come to shore to lay their
eggs and their babies hatch and scuttle back to the ocean. Safe year
round swimming and temperate waters make Exmouth a haven for diving
enthusiasts. Flights are available to Learmonth, the closest airport
to Exmouth from Perth.
POT-SHOT
HOTEL RESORT
This resort is
relaxing and well equipped with swimming pool, spa pools, restaurant,
bar, disco, mini golf, indoor cricket, fishing and diving charters.
Accommodation is available in hotel rooms, or fully self contained
apartments. All standards are catered for.
 
DESTINATION
EXMOUTH
Whale Sharks
For the months
of March,April and May the majestic whale sharks arrive at Exmouth.
Travel to Tantabiddi, a forty five minute transfer from Exmouth and
then onward to Ningaloo Reef, the home of the whale shark for this
short period.
EXMOUTH
DIVING CENTRE
Exmouth's first
full time dive operation in Exmouth with seven years experience diving
the surrounding reef. A PADI 5 Star dive operation they have a fleet
of three dive vessels to choose from varying from 09 - 14 metres.
Whale Shark Day
Trips Include:
- Return transfer ex Exmouth
- Morning tea/lunch/afternoon tea
- Charter light aircraft to spot whale sharks
- Snorkelling equipment (tank/weight/air fill if diving)
- Qualified Divemaster and boat crew
 
ROTTNEST
ISLAND
Rottnest Island
is Perth's premier dive area. Situated off the coast of Fremantle,
it take a pleasant 30-40 minute boat ride to get into the pristine
waters of the island. Here you will find a multitude of dive sites
from historic wrecks to beautiful limestone reef formations and swimthroughs.
The crystal clear waters are home to a large variety of sealife such
as, West-Australian rock lobsters, (crayfish), Dhu-fish, parrot fish
as well as many other species of reef inhabitants. Soft corals and
sponges decorate the limestone formations which provide spectacular
swimthroughs and semi penetration dives
H.M.A.S.
SWAN DUNSBOROUGH
The Geographe
Bay Artificial Reef Society Inc sunk the HMAS SWAN in 30 meters of
water, 1.3 nautical miles off Point Piquet, Dunsborough Western Australia
as a dive wreck, artificial reef and tourist attraction. Regarded
as the largest ship in the southern hemisphere to be scuttled for
dive purposes the HMAS Swan will bring a new dimension to what is
already a thriving community.
Located a little over 200km south of Perth at Dunsborough, the Swan
shipwreck is an incredible dive. Sunk purposely in 1997 for divers
the wreck lies upright in 35 metres of water, she is 113 metres long
and over 30 metres wide. The average visibility we receive in this
area is 18-25 metres. In the short time the Swan has been down, she
has already become home to many different species of fishes, and is
a dive not to be missed while you are visiting Western Australia.
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SOUTH
AUSTRALIAN
SOUTH
AUSTRALIAN SHARK DIVES
South Australia
is home to the Great White Shark and operators have been doing cage
diving here since the 1970's. The Great White shark is now
protected. While Great White sharks can be found in other parts of
the world, it is here the sharks are usually bigger and the sightings
much more reliable. Rodney Fox, who was a shark attack survivor
is the best known of the operators. They have led over 100 expeditions
to find the Great White shark and he has now teamed up with Mike Ball
to offer one of the best shark dives on the planet.
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COCOS
DIVE ON
THE COCOS (KEELING) ISLANDS
Cocos Dive is
located on Cocos (Keeling) Islands, an external territory of Australia
right in the middle of the Indian Ocean. This little known horseshoe-shaped
jewel rises from the depths of the Indian Ocean atop of a huge volcanic
seamount, unspoilit by commercialism or overrun by tourists. It's
actually one of Australia's best kept holiday
destination secrets!
 
The reefs surrounding
Cocos offers divers world class, 5-star diving in a unique 5-star
underwater environment. Pristine gardens of colourful soft leather
corals, steep slopes covered with glorious golden green cabbage shaped
hard corals and huge gorgonian fans that cling precariously to the
walls as they sway to and fro in the gentle current; Cocos has all
this and more! Sharks, turtles, mantas, pelagics, brightly coloured
marine fish and dolphins are regularly seen during your diving holiday.
For those who enjoy diving on history there is an underwater wreck
trail on the southern atoll. Although not fully completed, it is
already proving popular with divers and snorkellers.
For the non-diving
partner relax or walk along a deserted beach, take a day trip out
on the glass-bottom boat; jump aboard Dory's Designer Tours dinghy
and visit the smaller islands of the southern atoll; visit Home Island
and take in a cultural tour around the Cocos Malay kampong; or simply
explore the islands yourself. There is always something to do even
if it's just lying on the beach reading.
DIVE COCOS
Diving the Cocos
(Keeling) Islands is a year round activity. The water temperature
averages between 26°C during the cooler months of July through
to October and 29°C during the warmer months of December through
to May. Occasionally, a colder thermacline may drop the water temperature
down to a "chilly" 25°C!
Visibility on most dive sites averages 20-30 metres. Some sites where
the lagoon flushes out into the Indian Ocean may cause the visibility
to drop to 15 metres. Most of the dive sites are suitable to any level
of experience.
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands have steep drop-offs that allows those
divers who are qualified and/or suitably experienced to venture deeper
than the less experienced diver. Having the luxury of multi-level diving
ensures everyone is able to enjoy the same site and similar experiences
with the marine creatures.
Cocos (Keeling) Islands is also a wonderful destination for the photographer.
The waters surrounding the atoll teem with spectacular marine life,
sharks, turtles, pelagics, unusual hybrids, macro creatures, pristine
coral gardens and beautiful mammals.
Cocos Dive has over 25 regularly visited dive sites, each unique
in its own special way. Most of these dive sites are approximately
20 minutes away from the small boat launching ramp or the West Island
jetty. Whether you are a big fish junky or enjoy pristine corals, macro
life or just being underwater, Cocos Dive can certainly cater to your
needs.
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