Australia, the country which covers an entire continent, is the home to some of the most amazing sights, fauna and flora that’s exclusive to her alone, and scenery we can easily say is out of this world, like the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef. The tropical climate allows adventurers and diving enthusiasts to visit and explore her beauties all year round, as the temperature ranges somewhere between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius in winter and summer, respectively.
If you’re just starting out as a diver and don’t own any diving equipment, worry not. There are many places you can buy snorkeling equipment in Australia, both online and in retail stores. Something to keep in mind is that snorkeling equipment is an investment and can be expensive. However, if you’re serious about diving, that shouldn’t be of any concern, as once you buy snorkeling equipment for the first time, it’s likely going to be your last time as well, as it lasts virtually forever.
Another thing to note is that all the diving gear you purchase will be yours and yours only. Simply put, these pieces of equipment are extremely important and personal, thus it’s crucial that you buy exactly the right fit for your diving needs. This means that you should try out everything you buy and see whether it works for you or not. I strongly advise you that you buy all the basic components (suit, mask, fins, BCD, boots, regulators, etc) only after you have carefully considered what exactly you need.
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s talk a bit about the most popular diving spot in the world – The Great Barrier Reef. It’s composed of more than 2.000 individual reefs and it’s about 2.600 kilometers long. The gateway to it is Cairns, which is located in northern Queensland. This diving site attracts large sea life – massive rays, big sharks, huge groupers and potato cod. It’s a bustling marine life metropolis which makes it a must-see. If you want to spot a humpback whale there, the winter months are the best period to visit.
Another gem Australia possesses is the Kangaroo Island diving site located about 100 km southwest of Adelaide. This location is home to the Australian sea lions and New Zealand fur seals. Moreover, it’s one of the few places, if not the only place where a leafy seadragon can be spotted. Enlist yourself with a local diving guide to get a better chance of finding them. The ideal time to visit is sometime between April and June.
If you’re more interested in exploring caves, then the Fish Rock Cave is the perfect choice for your next dive. It’s located a few kilometers from the Smoky Cape in NSW. The cave is 125 meters long and it’s the only ocean cave Australia has. The cave is an important habitat for the endangered grey nurse shark, as they gather in it and feed, mate and give birth there. However, there are many more species to be seen swimming around this particular site, including bullseyes, trumpetfish and black rod. The best time to visit is between April and November, as in that timeline humpback whales can also be seen.
