Advanced Diving in Australia

Exmouth Navy Pier

For those seeking advanced diving in Australia who also have a penchant for the peculiar, Exmouth Navy Pier is just the ticket. Hailed as one of the top shore dives in the world, the sandy seabed below the pier is a muck diver's paradise. They say time and tide wait for no man, and for the best conditions, it's best to dive below the pier during slack high tide. As for the critters, a slew of colourful nudibranchs, flat worms, scorpionfish, frogfish, toad fish, myriad shrimp and octopus fill every nook and cranny, while wobbegongs hide in plain sight. The currents can be tricky, but with good timing, you can enjoy the tranquillity of a slack tide, at least for most of your dive.

SS Yongala Wreck

Hailed as Australia's best dive, you don't need to be a metalhead to appreciate the much-vaunted SS Yongala wreck.The 358-foot-long wreck lies in 30 metres of water, twelve nautical miles off the coast of Cape Bowling Green, near Townsville, and is often cited as being one of the world's best wreck dives.

The former passenger ship sank en route from Melbourne to Cairns in March 1911, but was only discovered in 1958 by a local fisherman. With little protection from the elements, currents can be challenging, but those who brave them to dive the wreck will be rewarded by encounters with tiger sharks, eagle rays, mantas and behemoth giant groupers.

Ball's Pyramid

Located in Lord Howe Island Marine Park, Ball's Pyramid is the tallest sea stack in the world. Rising steeply out of the ocean, this iconic triangular rock formation is as impressive below the surface as it is imposing above it.

Easily reached from the luxury of nearby Lord Howe Island, one of the big draws of this dive is that, alongside the occasional marlin for the lucky few, dolphins and wahoo can be seen. The site also offers the rare opportunity to spot the elusive Ballina angelfish, a deep-water angelfish that is rarely found in water shallower than 100 metres!

As advanced diving in Australia goes, this is one of the more dramatic dives. The uninhabited islet is surrounded by uncompromising seas and often rough surface conditions, while below the waves, strong currents swirl around the base of the eroded volcano, but trust us, it's worth the challenge!

Our team of expert dive travel specialists are on hand to help you plan the perfect itinerary to experience the best advanced diving in Australia. From luxury liveaboard sojourns to exclusive stays on offshore islands and remote capes, Australia's superb hospitality options ensure some excellent post-dive pampering to help you recover from its more challenging dives...