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Specialties: Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea,
Big Animals, Live-aboard
diving.
Australia is
an island continent in the Pacific surrounded by the Indian
Ocean, Coral Sea and Tasman Sea. Australia offers
everything from cultural experiences in the Sydney Opera House
to the “Outback” with strange marsupials, birds, cuddly koalas,
and brilliantly colored birds. Divers, however, are
fascinated by the Great Barrier Reef, the colorful Coral Sea and
the great white sharks of South Australia.
The Great
Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef complex in the word and
encompasses an area of 100,000 square miles. The Reef is
actually a galaxy of 2500 separate reefs beginning off the
northeastern coast of Australia. The Reef is comparable in
length to the U.S. shoreline between New York and Florida. The
relatively shallow waters of the continental shelf, rarely
exceeding 180 feet, offer ideal conditions for the coral. The
water is clear and warm and the shallow depths allow plenty of
light for coral growth. Inside the Reef lies a protected,
navigable channel that runs the entire length of the state of
Queensland. It varies in width from about 10 miles at Cape
Melville in the north to over 150 miles at the Swain Reefs in
the south. Of all the world’s coral reefs, none contain as many
species of life. Divers are amazed by the array of algae,
corals, fish, crabs, starfish, mollusks, and other animal
groups. On the Great Barrier Reef proper, Heron Island is right
in the middle of the action. Heron Island caters to divers with
easy, comfortable diving and encounters with mantas, whales, and
sharks. The small reef area surrounding Heron Island on the
extreme southern end of the Reef is less than fourteen square
miles and has been studied intensively for over 30 years. The
catalog of species identified already included over 900 species
of fish, over 100 corals, featherstars, holothurians, sea
urchins, and brittle-stars.
The best way
to experience the Great Barrier Reef is by live-aboard. The
best diving on the Reef is on the Far North Barrier Reef between
Thursday Islands and Torres Straight south to Lockhard River,
north of Carnes. These reefs teem with large reef fish, the way
the entire Great Barrier Reef used to be about 30 years ago,
before the crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) began
eating the polyps of hard corals. Today, divers must be
selective and take the extra time required to travel to the
northern reefs and the Coral Sea.
A few of the
jewels in the Coral Sea include Abington Reef (East-northeast of
Townsville about 150 miles), Marion Reef (250 miles due east of
Townsville) and Osprey Reef (northeast of Cairns). Marion Reef
offers great pinnacle diving and is a place to see big animals,
including several varieties of turtles and pelagic fishes. It
is truly a paradise with visibility in excess of 200 feet and
almost a guarantee of interacting with large animals. For
divers who prefer resorts to live-aboards, Lizard Island (160
miles north of Cairns) and Heron Island (at the southern end of
the Reef) offer the best alternatives.
The
shipwrecked Yongala, a 365-foot coastal trader, sank in
1911 during a cyclone in open water 11 miles off shore and 45
miles east of Townsville. It is one of the world’s few
five-star shipwrecks because its isolated location has
transformed the wreck into an artificial reef inhabited by
countless fish. The Yongala lies on its starboard side
in 90 to 100 feet of water on the sandy ocean bottom.
Best
Diving Months: August through November.
Water
Temperature: Water temperatures are comfortable,
approximately 81°F in the north and 75°F on the southern tip.
The northern area around Cairns is the least affected by tides.
Underwater
Visibility: Ranges from 50 to 200+ feet. Fresh water and
silt pour out of the northern rivers and can deteriorate
visibility even out on the Reef.
Airport
Info: For exploring the Great Barrier Reef, fly into Cairns
or Townsville, Australia. These two cities are the hubs for
diving destinations and access to the Reef’s recreational sports
and commerce. Great white shark dive trips begin in South
Australia, usually in Adelaide or Sydney.
Documents
and Customs Regulations: A passport, visa, and round-trip
ticket are required.
Language:
English with many Italian and Greek-speaking immigrants. There
are also small immigrant groups from Asia and Latin America.
Climate:
The climate is extremely varied from tropical to temperate.
During summer, November to April, the weather is hot and humid
in the north, pleasant in Victoria. From December through
February, the warmer temperatures bring the added risk of
monsoon rains and devastating cyclones. During winter, June to
August, the weather can be cold in Melbourne and ideal in Alice
Springs, Darwin and Brisbane.
Government:
Member of the British Commonwealth with Dominion status. State
and Federal parliaments are elected by popular vote.
Electrical
Current: 240 volts, not compatible with American
appliances. A converter is necessary.
Current Weather:
Sydney
Get
current weather from Weather.com
Currency:
Australian Dollar
(AUD).
Get
current exchange rate from XE.com
Current Time:
Southern Australia
Get
current time from WorldTimeServer.com
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