Best Destinations for Scuba Diving in Australia

If you want to enjoy a fun diving experience, Australia is where you need to be. Long stretches of coastline and plenty of sightseeing wonders make it a uniquely beautiful country, and anyone who wants to spend their vacation in a warm, sunny place should head there immediately. Are you an experienced diver or just someone who’s looking for a good spot to test their scuba gear? Then take a look at these destinations, pack up, and find your next diving adventure!

The Great Barrier Reef

Found in Queensland, the Great Barrier Reef is one of the most unique experiences in the whole world. It’s 2,300 km long, and it’s made of interconnected little reefs—the whole thing is basically a giant living organism. Once you see the jaw-dropping expanse of it you won’t be able to glue your eyes away, and if you’re eager to dive, there are plenty of good spots here. Heron Island is nearby, and it boasts ten excellent diving spots all along its edge, and you’ll see plenty of fish and corals as you brave the waters around it. You can also go to the Whitsunday Islands or Lady Eliot Island if you want to swim with manta rays or book a diving tour to see the Great Barrier Reef in all its glory.

Ningaloo Reef

Located off the coast of central Western Australia, you can find the Ningaloo Marine Park and many tropical fish, turtles, humpback whales, whale sharks, and other sea life inside it. Visiting the Ningaloo Reef means having an opportunity to swim with whale sharks. These creatures are quite big, with most of them reaching up to 40ft in length, but they’re completely harmless. If you want to see them and experience something special, bring your best scuba diving equipment and head straight for this spot. The period between March and August is the best for shark-spotting, so book your trip on time.

Port Lincoln

Port Lincoln is perfect for anyone who claims to be an adventurer. If excitement is something you seek above all, here is where you can go cage diving to see great white sharks. Close to Adelaide and full of fun, you can book an adrenaline-pumping tour such as this one and finally get to experience something that will make your heart pound. Of course, you’ll have a guide with you and the whole thing is absolutely safe, but the experience of seeing a giant sea creature swimming around you and staring at your cage is completely unforgettable. The guides usually use bait or an acoustic attraction to draw in the sharks, and if you have a good underwater camera you can film the whole experience and show it to your friends when you come back home.

Solitary Islands

With nine diving spots spread out across these rocky islands, you certainly won’t lack for entertainment. The Gantry is one of the best ones because it allows you to see wreckage of an old crane. There’s something very unnerving yet interesting about the sight—it’s overgrown with sea life, and reminiscent of an underwater city. Besides the Gantry, you can also check out the Manta Arch where you’ll see over thirty grey nurse sharks hanging out and swimming peacefully.

Julian Rocks

Called the “mini Galapagos,” this spot is renowned for its diverse marine life and known to be one of the best diving spots in the world. There are numerous diving spots with plenty of them being perfectly suited to complete beginners, and a few of them going in as deep as 80 ft. It takes a short boat ride from the Byron Bay to reach it, and it’s a great spot for the most part of the year. In summer, you’ll see manta rays and leopard sharks, and in the winter, you’ll see humpback whales and grey nurse sharks.

Lizard Island

This exclusive spot is known for its numerous dive sites, including the famous Cod Hole. If you want to see a very unique, peaceful creature, this is where you can meet the potato cod, a massive fish that’s swimming around and living quietly. You can also check out Yonge Reef and Big Softy for more diving spots, and bear in mind that night diving is allowed here, so bring the appropriate gear if you plan to do it.

 

Have fun picking a destination! Once you know where you want to go and what you want to see, you can start getting ready for your adventure.