5 Bucket List Dives

Known worldwide for its beautiful coastlines, as well as having a wide range of gorgeous underwater landscapes to explore, Australia has no shortage of bucket-list-worthy dive spots. However, if we have to narrow it down, let’s go with finding the best five.

Here, we’re going to look at some of the best spots beyond the gorgeous coasts of the country, whether it offers fantastic marine life, jaw-dropping natural beauty, or other appeals entirely.

1. HMAS Brisbane

One of the best wreckage dive sites in the whole world, the HMAS Brisbane is located 2.9 nautical miles off the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. This huge guided missile destroyer was 5000 tons on the water and was scuttled in July 2005 to create an artificial reef. Dives can take you along the entire length and straight top of the ship, which has since become a hangout spot for a wide array of wildlife, including a range of turtles, with the chance to spot some octopi, leopard sharks, squid, snappers, batfish, and much more besides.

2. Osprey Reef

The Great Barrier Reef system is a huge location that is full of potentially great dive spots, but unique amongst them is the Osprey Reef, located just off of Cairns, in the northern part of the Coral Sea. It is one of the spots in the sea that offers the healthiest reef systems to explore and offers all kinds of marine life action, including a look at silky sharks and grey reef sharks, as well as some opportunities to see sperm whales, bottlenose dolphins, and green turtles. It also offers some jaw-dropping wall dives. Beginners tend to stick within the shallow ends of the basic area that makes up the Reef, but there is a shelf that extends for 1km. More advanced divers tend to plumb these depths, but even beginners can enjoy the fantastic coral canyons that can surround you on your dive.

3. Whitsunday Islands

It might be considered cheating to put this one on the list since the Whitsundays isn’t a single dive spot, but rather a host of islands that are replete with great diving opportunities. However, diving tours that take you around these multiple spots are common so it’s worth bundling them all together. These tours often include the fantastic wall dive of the Hangover, the marine-life riddle feeding spot of the Hardy Reef, and the range of bays and coves, such as at Cateran Bay where the lighting is perfect for great visibility on your dive. A day tour of the islands can help you hit the vast majority of these spots, making sure you see plenty.

4. SS Yongala

Another fantastic wreck dive, this one takes a look a little deeper into history, exploring a passenger and cargo ship that sank over one hundred years ago. Now located off the coast of Townsville in Queensland, this 110-meter steel ship has become a big draw for tourists over the years, best known for the amazing variety and volume of marine life to be found hanging around it. While better suited to more advanced divers due to the depths of the dive and the strength of the current. However, the ship itself is still in great condition, with the masts and details still well preserved, even if the visibility down there isn’t always the most conducive for a visual tour.

5. Fish Rock

Located off the coast of South West Rocks in New South Wales, Fish Rock is widely considered the single best place for ocean cave diving in the country and ranks amongst the top cave dives in the world. Cave dives are typically recommended for more advanced divers, especially when, like this one, those caves strength on for 410 feet. Aside from exploring a range of maze-like caves full of all kinds of geological wonders to see, Fish Rock bears its name due to the sheer range of wildlife there, including providing a home for endangered grey nurse sharks. What’s more, the water here is fantastically clear meaning that, wherever the lights happen to hit, you can enjoy some of the best visibility conditions you’re likely to find while diving.

Where will you dive next?

Hopefully, a look that we’ve taken at the great diving locations above has filled you with the inspiration to get your diving suits on and to head beneath the water’s surface. If you want to dive at the ex-HMAS Brisbane or any other location, make sure you choose a dive service provider that can help you make it a reality.

If you have any further questions about our equipment and the customising services we offer, please feel free to contact us today via email info@scubaworld.com.au or on (07) 5444 8595.