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freediving in Australia
- Thread startericeburger
- Start date
Thread Status: Hello
, There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
First of all: 
Australia appears not to be the ideal freediving destination - lack of sheltered places reachable from land, bad visibility, danger by sea animals (tigers, stingers, crocs) and currents... I've traveled west and east coast and neither has really good spots (esp. cwt training spots) like the mediterranean has- reachable from land. diving industry is very much naui/padi-selling-courses orientated and if they see your apnea equipment they get shocked right away... but: if you have the chance and get in contact with resident freedivers/divers and use a boat - there is great blue water spots on outer reefs reachable by boat.
You could write the amphibios team -Seb Murat for further infos:
divecon10@ledanet.com.au or info@amphibios.info
yours pat
Australia appears not to be the ideal freediving destination - lack of sheltered places reachable from land, bad visibility, danger by sea animals (tigers, stingers, crocs) and currents... I've traveled west and east coast and neither has really good spots (esp. cwt training spots) like the mediterranean has- reachable from land. diving industry is very much naui/padi-selling-courses orientated and if they see your apnea equipment they get shocked right away... but: if you have the chance and get in contact with resident freedivers/divers and use a boat - there is great blue water spots on outer reefs reachable by boat.You could write the amphibios team -Seb Murat for further infos:
divecon10@ledanet.com.au or info@amphibios.info
yours pat
I think you are being a little harsh. Australia while not in the same class as the Med for freediving is still good. Off the east coast you can get up to 30m depth off the shore and a small boat ride will get you into the 50m plus range. I live in Sydney and we freedive all year round, 2mm - 3mm suits in summer 3mm-5mm suits in winter. Vis ranges from poor 3-8m to good 30+m depending on weather and tides. Poor reports tend to come from those who head north from Sydney as the water gets shallower and dirtier up in Quensland particularly Nth Queensland which is wewe you would go to get access to the Great Barrier Reef.
Here is the link to the Forum that the Sydney Freediving Club announces meetings and dives. It's a spearfishing site but under the forums there is a freedive club listing.
www.extremespearfishing.com.au
I hope that helps
Andy
Here is the link to the Forum that the Sydney Freediving Club announces meetings and dives. It's a spearfishing site but under the forums there is a freedive club listing.
www.extremespearfishing.com.au
I hope that helps
Andy
hi
Your very right in that we can't really compare to the med in terms of depth and visibilty from a shore dive. However our spearfishing is far better if thats what your after. Im from nth queenland where the vis on the coast is probably on par with the worst in the world however the outer reefs offer some of the best deep diving and spearfishing in the world. The ribbon reefs back home drop right off to the contintental shelf which is a coral wall over 1000 m deep. However there is quite a boat ride to get there.
cheers
Your very right in that we can't really compare to the med in terms of depth and visibilty from a shore dive. However our spearfishing is far better if thats what your after. Im from nth queenland where the vis on the coast is probably on par with the worst in the world however the outer reefs offer some of the best deep diving and spearfishing in the world. The ribbon reefs back home drop right off to the contintental shelf which is a coral wall over 1000 m deep. However there is quite a boat ride to get there.
cheers
Tel us more, does anyone know anything about brisbane's surroundings? Though it's still is in queensland it's shore may be different?
I find it trange to hear that one can tel about al the shore's in Australia in just a few centices, there must be some variety?! It's not just a country, but an whole continent we're talking about.
Thanks,
I find it trange to hear that one can tel about al the shore's in Australia in just a few centices, there must be some variety?! It's not just a country, but an whole continent we're talking about.
Thanks,
first of all: i love australia - it s a beatiful country. but dont get me wrong: i tried to give an overview from what i found there. anything south of perth and south of sydney is not included in my comment. conditions might be tons better there. but conditions on the main coastlines further north are poor indeed. the best freedives i ever did were at the busselton jetty in southern wa and lake eacham in the hinterland of cairns - a volcane lake beatifully surrounded by rainforest...
hi ivan
very funny i live on the other side of the globe and should tell you about one of the top spots near the place you live... but it is a pleasure to tell:
lake eacham is an ancient crater lake literally surrounded by rainforest. it could be good for training as well as for fun dives. Visibility was about 15m - i have been there in march last year. of course i don't have to tell you that conditions can vary greatly upon the effects of rain periods. Mate- you really live in the daintree area!? i made it up to cape trib actually and the very famous daintree area. just beautiful the different types of forests. you are a lucky man to live in a region that lovely! anyway back to lake eacham. the best thing about it is not only the high water temperatures - but also the mystical touch to it. the water is slightly red and brownish and there is old broken trees in the shallow waters near the banks. just great for fun dives. the max. depth must be around 60m they say and its nice because only a few meters from shore it drops off into deep water.
once you get there i recommend you to stay at the lake eacham van park -it's a very friendly and small place with only 10 sites.
hope you tell me soon how you find it!
yours pat
very funny i live on the other side of the globe and should tell you about one of the top spots near the place you live... but it is a pleasure to tell:
lake eacham is an ancient crater lake literally surrounded by rainforest. it could be good for training as well as for fun dives. Visibility was about 15m - i have been there in march last year. of course i don't have to tell you that conditions can vary greatly upon the effects of rain periods. Mate- you really live in the daintree area!? i made it up to cape trib actually and the very famous daintree area. just beautiful the different types of forests. you are a lucky man to live in a region that lovely! anyway back to lake eacham. the best thing about it is not only the high water temperatures - but also the mystical touch to it. the water is slightly red and brownish and there is old broken trees in the shallow waters near the banks. just great for fun dives. the max. depth must be around 60m they say and its nice because only a few meters from shore it drops off into deep water.
once you get there i recommend you to stay at the lake eacham van park -it's a very friendly and small place with only 10 sites.
hope you tell me soon how you find it!
yours pat
hi
Ha ha yer that is quite funny considering your from switzerland and you know it better than me however my excuse is that I was always out in the ocean :hmm
Sounds good the only problem is im currently at uni down the very bottom of australia at tasmania and wont be back home until june for my midyear break so maybe then I will check it out.
Not sure if you noticed but on your way to Cape trib is a small beach town called Wonga beach thats where im from its about 10mins south of the daintree river by car, less by boat. We own a "hut" along the daintree river near the mouth which is only accessible by boat we do quite a lot of camping there.
Did you go to the pub/club at cape trib called PK's jungle village. Its a top place we used to regularly go there on friday/sat nights.
cheers
Ha ha yer that is quite funny considering your from switzerland and you know it better than me
however my excuse is that I was always out in the ocean :hmm Sounds good the only problem is im currently at uni down the very bottom of australia at tasmania and wont be back home until june for my midyear break so maybe then I will check it out.
Not sure if you noticed but on your way to Cape trib is a small beach town called Wonga beach thats where im from its about 10mins south of the daintree river by car, less by boat. We own a "hut" along the daintree river near the mouth which is only accessible by boat we do quite a lot of camping there.
Did you go to the pub/club at cape trib called PK's jungle village. Its a top place we used to regularly go there on friday/sat nights.
cheers
hi
heard of wonga beach (isn't it famous for big game fishing?), but haven't been there myself. as i said i just traveled around. haven't been to PK's jungle village either. you should have told me in advance ...
how is tasmanian waters for freediving? bad viz? currents? sharks? (i had a not so funny tiger shark encounter @ ningaloo reef :martial ... so i mistrust australian waters...)
yours pat
heard of wonga beach (isn't it famous for big game fishing?), but haven't been there myself. as i said i just traveled around. haven't been to PK's jungle village either. you should have told me in advance ...
how is tasmanian waters for freediving? bad viz? currents? sharks? (i had a not so funny tiger shark encounter @ ningaloo reef :martial ... so i mistrust australian waters...)
yours pat
hi
Yeah don't worry ive had some of my own Tiger shark issues diving on the reefs north of Cape trib at a place called Bloomfield.
Wonga is famous for Jumping cod however not to many gamefish on the coast.
Tasmania is very cold but the vis is generally very good especially on the east coast of tassie. We did a shore dive over there at a place called mussleroe bay and had over 20m vis from the coast which is unheard of in Nth queensland costal waters.
No current issues yet.
Great whites are found around the seal colony's generally they are on the islands off the coast, however we never dive in water over 6m beacuse of the fear of Great Whites
Lots of big Blacklip and Greenlip abs I guess thats what Tassie is most famous for, and its crays. However we havent found any BIG crays yet. Lots of small fishes but no mackeral and stuff like I would target back home. However on the east coast out of St helens they have the shelf only 14miles off shore and here they get big yellowfin and striped marlin and stuff.
cheers
Yeah don't worry ive had some of my own Tiger shark issues diving on the reefs north of Cape trib at a place called Bloomfield.
Wonga is famous for Jumping cod however not to many gamefish on the coast.
Tasmania is very cold but the vis is generally very good especially on the east coast of tassie. We did a shore dive over there at a place called mussleroe bay and had over 20m vis from the coast which is unheard of in Nth queensland costal waters.
No current issues yet.
Great whites are found around the seal colony's generally they are on the islands off the coast, however we never dive in water over 6m beacuse of the fear of Great Whites
Lots of big Blacklip and Greenlip abs I guess thats what Tassie is most famous for, and its crays. However we havent found any BIG crays yet. Lots of small fishes but no mackeral and stuff like I would target back home. However on the east coast out of St helens they have the shelf only 14miles off shore and here they get big yellowfin and striped marlin and stuff.
cheers
Hi Kars, I tell you my opinion in few words:
Shallow and dirty. Which explains why I have temporarily quit any underwater activities.
The only decent place (which has been stated very clearly in this post) is anywhere near the reefs. However bear in mind that tides here are nothing compared to the Med, so dives are limited in duration.
BTW, Australia is not worth it bearing in mind other locations which are closer and more attractive: Red Sea and Maldives.
Even if you come close PNG (Papua) and Fiji ofer better diving.
Gerard.