Diving Australia – The Southern Side of the Continent

If you squint... no, it still doesn't look like the Great Barrier Reef, but diving on the other side of the world's largest island may still float your boat. Australia has always been part of every top 10 list of diving destinations worldwide. Millions of tourists are drawn to Queensland's shores every year to catch a glimpse of the Great Barrier Reef and tens of thousands of people get certified in the tropical parts of Australia every year. And they should, no doubt about that! There are, however, many other places in Australia that offer world-class diving, one of which I recently discovered, exactly on the other side of the continent.

Adelaide and South Australia

To most Australians, South Australia and its capital Adelaide, are what Australia is to much of the rest of the world: one of the most forgotten areas. Many Australians probably can't even point Adelaide out on a map, even though it is one of Australia's largest cities. According to Bill Bryson in his bestselling travel narrative Down Under: "Adelaide is the most overlooked of Australia's principal cities. You could spend weeks in Australia and never suspect it was there, for it rarely makes the news or gets a mention in anyone's conversation. And yet it is unquestionably a lovely city. Everyone is agreed on that, including millions who have never been there."

Adelaide is as charmingly friendly, as it is affordable. Even when you ignore the exchange rates (US$1=$1.11 and EU1=$1.51), a walk to Coles (the local supermarket) will show you how good life on the south coast can be, not to speak of lodging and dining prices. And with a very busy nightlife, a vibrant business district, many wildlife parks and other attractions, free museums with free public transport and a better looking skyline than most other Australian cities, what can Adelaide's big problem be? Well, the problem seems to be that it's just too far away from, well, basically, everything. The nearest city (Melbourne) lies about 750 km. away, not to speak of Sydney, which is about twice as far from it. There are just vast spaces of the so-called outback to the north and the west and there's the Southern Ocean to the south all the way down to the Antarctica.

Going down under

And that's exactly where it becomes interesting for us, as Adelaide is home to some of the best temperate water diving the world has to offer with animals you won't encounter anywhere else! As the north has coral spawning, the south has the spawning of Giant Australian Cuttlefish. Every year between May and August, divers (or snorkelers) can witness this event, as thousands of the largest species of cuttlefish found in the world, descend on South Australia's coastline for their annual mating rituals.

Another rare species that can be found in the Southern Ocean is the Australian Sea-lion. With an estimated population of just over 13.500, the Australian sea-lion is one of the rarest species of its kind and is protected under numerous independently enacted state laws. As two-thirds of their population has made South Australia (and particularly Kangaroo Island) their home, you are offered many chances to spot them in the water. Dive into an unforgettable experience as they swim extremely close to you and watch them mimic your moves while they propel themselves through the water.

Other interesting creatures (to say the least) that can be found along Australia's shores are sharks, which come in many different shapes and sizes. Where you can easily spot some black- and whitetip reef sharks in the north, the southern sharks are a bit harder to spot, as Wobbegong sharks (or 'Wobbies' as they are affectionately called) are very well camouflaged and the regularly spotted Port Jackson shark is quite small with a maximum length of around 150 cm. Another regular visitor of the South Australian coasts is a bit harder to miss however. As South Australia, with its sea-lions, is one of the main feeding grounds for Great Whites, it is highly recommended to wear a shark shield which will keep you safe while diving (this shield will send out an electric pulse which is extremely uncomfortable for the sharks). On the other hand, if you're keen on a close encounter with these majestic creatures, book yourself a cage dive adventure from Port Lincoln, to come face-to-face with them in their natural environment.

One thing you can't miss while vacationing in South Australia is doing a jetty dive. The large piers with massive pylons (which are completely overgrown) can be very impressive, especially when the sun is shining and the sun rays penetrate the waters under the jetty. One of the best jetty dives is the one at Port Noarlunga's Reef Reserve, which is only a short bus or train ride away from Adelaide's other beachside suburbs or the central business district. Take a tour on South Australia's best known aquatic reserve with The Dive Shack, a professional dive shop that is located right at the start of the jetty.

Another one of their tours, which is more than worth the trip, is the leafy sea dragon tour at the Rapid Bay jetty. As there are two jetties here, you are constantly swimming between pylons and you'll be amazed by the abundance of life down there. More importantly, however, is the fact that this is probably the best spot in the world to see Leafy Sea Dragons. These elusive creatures are the marine emblem of South Australia as they can only be found in the southern coastal waters of Australia. Being one of the world's best examples of evolution, these seahorse-like creatures can grow up to a maximum of 40 cm. and can be hard to spot due to their amazing ability to blend in with their surroundings.

Smaller spaces

Besides all the unique life in the southern coastal waters, there are many other interesting things to see. With over 800 ships being wrecked of the coast of South Australia, one can really catch up on history here. As the north has the S.S. Yongala, the south has the Ex-HMAS Hobart. While most wrecks off these coasts date back to the nineteenth and early twentieth century, the Hobart is a 1965 guided missile destroyer, which was purposely sunk in 2002 to create the artificial Fleurieu Reef. The majority of the wreck remains fully intact so divers can explore the engine rooms, mess decks, smoke stacks, missile launchers, gun turrets and bridge area. It lies in about 30 meters of water, with the top of its tower visible from the surface at around 8 meter.

If you're keen on wreck diving, there's much more to see besides the Hobart though. What to think of a dive on the 1851 Marion and the 1873 Iron King, which can be found in the reefs surrounding Troubidge Island. Or pick up a brochure of Adelaide's Underwater Heritage Trail that interprets four shipwrecks located in Gulf St. Vincent, all of which have been built between 1841 and 1893. Make sure you get the necessary permits before you go!

When looking for an even bigger adventure, go cave diving (first get your certification!) at South Australia's Limestone Coast, which is home to more than 140 caverns, caves and sinkholes! Visibility can often reach up to 40 meters here (which is very unusual for underground cave systems), making this one of the most spectacular sites in the world. One of the best places to experience this, is Piccaninnie Ponds near Mount Gambier at the Victorian border, where divers can clearly be seen from the surface, while they're 36 meters below at the safety point! You can snorkel or dive here after obtaining a permit. Permits are available at the Department for Environment and Heritage office at Mount Gambier.

To save the best for last, try to squeeze in a dive or two on Kangaroo Island while in South Australia. Even though it's quite expensive to get and to stay here, it's more than worth it! You can easily spot the above-mentioned sea dragons there, you can dive with Australian sea lions (K.I. - as the locals call it - has the largest population of them) and don't forget to do a penguin night dive! As K.I. is Australia's third biggest island, take a couple of days to explore the island itself as well and be prepared to meet many of the island's animals, such as kangaroos, wallabies, cockatoos, koalas, goannas, sea lions, fur seals, penguins and even southern right whales (in season).

Regarding the weather, South Australia has a Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers and mild winters, so it offers great diving all year round. In summer you can easily do with a 5 mm. suit, but make sure you're wearing 6, 7 mm. or semi-dry in winter, preferably with an undershirt (like Sharkskin).

Oh, just one other thing, don't be surprised to see dolphins from the boat or when you're in the water, as there's about a 50% chance that you will (especially on Kangaroo Island)!

Happy diving to all of you and hope to see you down under!

Ron van der Marel
The Dive Shack