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Scuba diving in Australia offers an adventurer the chance to be involved in a million and one activities all thanks to its heterogeneous geographical features. Australia, which is famous for its long-stretched coastline and distinctive marine life, is an ideal destination for scuba diving. From the famous Great Barrier Reef in Queensland to the lesser well-known places that are still located underwater in the continent, Australia has an underwater experience like no other for beginner and seasoned divers alike. It is a country full of fascinating coral fila, astonishing underwater terrain and rich oceanic fauna.
Top 10 Spots For Scuba Diving In Australia
Let’s explore the best spots for scuba diving in Australia by taking the plunge and surface deep inside this aquatic paradise.
1. Ningaloo Reef
Photo: Firth m / Wikimedia Commons / Image For Representation Only
Ningaloo Reef is situated on the Western Australian Coast and is distinguished as the largest fringing reef in Australia as well as a UNESCO World Heritage site. At over 260 kilometres in length, it is home to beautiful water and an appealing biodiversity that invites snorkelers and divers alike. More than 500 species of fish, colourful coral gardens, and artistic creations such as the whale shark, manta ray as well as turtles reside within the reef. Most importantly, tourism is available in Ningaloo because this is one of the only places on earth.
Best Time To Visit: March to July for whale sharks; June to October for humpback whales.
2. Great Barrier Reef
Photo: Oleksandr P / Pexels / Image For Representation Only
The Great Barrier Reef, which is situated in the northeastern part of Australia, is composed of the longest coral reef system in the world, over 2,300 kilometers long. Its total area is around 344400 square kilometers. This World Heritage area consists of more than two thousand nine hundred coral systems and nine hundred islands. It is inhabited by over 1,500 species of fish, 400 types of corals, reptiles like green sea turtles and mammals such as dolphins. It is famous for its colorfulness and different types of coral reefs such as fringing, ranging lagoon and horseshoe coral reefs.
Best Time To Visit: Year-round
3. Fish Rock Cave
Photo: Primo Passo / Pexels / Image For Representation Only
Fish Rock Cave is a popular dive site tucked away in the South West Rocks region of New South Wales, Australia, and it’s also the only true ocean cave dive available in the entire region. With a stretch of 125 meters, this cave is notable for the high ceiling at its entrance which leads to a depth of 24 meters. Adventurous souls can brave the inviting waters of the cave where an underwater paradise awaits gray nurse sharks, numerous fishes, overlay of corals among others.
Best Time To Visit: Year-round
4. SS Yongala wreck
Photo: Jondave Libiran / Pexels / Image For Representation Only
The maritime jurisdiction of Queensland, which is roughly 48 nautical miles southeast of Townsville, occupies one of the most sought-after dive sites in the world, the SS Yongala wreck. This wreck is of an interesting passenger and freight steamer that sank amidst the cyclone on March 23, 1911, with no survivors out of the 122 passengers and crew. The wreck was missing for over half a century before it was located in 1958. Today, the Yongala sits as a gutted hulk in shallow water littered with bright red corals and hosts giant gropers, sea turtles, swarms of and other marine attractions.
Best Time To Visit: Year-round
5. Port Lincoln & Neptune Islands
Photo: Leonardo Lamas / Pexels / Image For Representation Only
Port Lincoln, which is on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, is famous for its beautiful coastline and rich oceans. It acts as a starting point for visitors travelling towards the Neptune Islands; a small cluster of islands that are well-known for their biological diversity and exciting shark cage diving activities. The Neptune Islands not only boast the largest population of long-nosed fur seals in Australia, but they also offer the perfect setting for watching great white sharks in their natural environment.
Best Time To Visit: May to October
6. Lord Howe Island
Photo: Richard Ling / Wikimedia Commons / Image For Representation Only
Lord Howe Island is an island in the Tasman Sea about 700 km (430 miles) east of Port Macquarie and is also a world heritage site because of its pristine nature and remarkable marine environment. The island, which is of volcanic origin, contains the southernmost coral atolls in the world, where there are inhabitants of warm water corals, cyclonic water corals as well temperate water corals. With more than 60 dive sites including the famous Ball’s Pyramid and the Admiralty Islands, one can dive into the lush marine ecosystem of coral reefs and more.
Best Time To Visit: October to May
7. Osprey Reef
Photo: Jondave Libiran / Pexels / Image For Representation Only
Osprey Reef situated in the Coral Sea Marine Park, is a remote paradise for divers about 300 km to the northeast of Cairns in Australia. This seamount is quite steep rising from the ocean bed to form deep vertical walls, drop-offs and swim-throughs. Osprey Reef is almost 30 km long over an area of more than 180 square km and has some of the best underwater visibility, often more than 30 meters. The reef supports a large population of sea dwellers including gray reef, whitetip reef and silvertip sharks making it a shark’s paradise.
Best Time To Visit: June to November
8. Bicheno
Photo: Pia B / Pexels / Image For Representation Only
Bicheno is a picturesque coastal village on the eastern side of Tasmania that comes with breathtaking views and great diving resources. The region is described by towering outcrops of granite comprising large sections of water, sponge gardens, kelp beds and teeming with wildlife. Governor Island Marine Reserve provides access to greater than twenty boat dives, and several shore diving options and is hence frequented by both beginner and advanced divers.
Best Time To Visit: December to February
9. Jervis Bay
Photo: Pexels user / Pexels / Image For Representation Only
Jervis Bay situated at the southeastern coastline of New South Wales boasts breathtaking scenery and an unusually clear ocean. This territory is known as a marine park and is inhabited by a variety of marine animals including dolphins, seals as well as many species of fishes. Within the bay, there are many famous diving places like the HMAS Creswell wreck, underwater reefs surrounding Bowen Island or simply many other great dive sites. Here, divers can swim amidst oceans of corals, kelp jungles and other rock forms that provide shelter to many species of the ocean.
Best Time To Visit: December to February
10. Whitsundays
Photo: John Cahil Rom / Pexels / Image For Representation Only
The Whitsundays, a group of 74 islands contained within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, is a spectacular region with healthy coral and marine life. The Whitsundays form a divers and snorkeler’s paradise with clear water, white sandy beaches and green rainforests. This area contains a lot of dive sites, fringing reefs as well and coral gardens filled with exciting creatures including colourful fish, turtles, manta rays, and many more. The well-liked diving places are Blue Pearl Bay, the Pinnacles and Dolphin Point where the underwater adventure is different.
Best Time To Visit: May to September
There is no denying the fact that scuba diving in Australia is one of a kind, be it jumping on colourful coral reefs that are full of life or enthusiastic wreck dives. Since each dive site has its peculiarity and difficulties, divers can have more great memories, while enjoying some of the most picturesque underwater sceneries. Plan a trip with TripXL and indulge in underwater adventures.
Cover Photo: Richard Segal / Pexels / Image For Representation Only
