Best time for diving holidays in Australia
The good thing about Australia is that it is so big, that there is always a place where it is summer. Being on the southern half of the planet, seasons are reversed, people in South Australia go skiing in July!
Minke Whale season around the Great Barrier Reef is usually from June to August and is the ideal time to spot and interact with these gentle giants.
In general Australia is a great year-round travel and dive destination, especially up north in the tropics at the Great Barrier Reef.
The majority of divers visit the Great Barrier Reef between the Far North and the southern Great Barrier Reef section (Townsville). Even in tropical Northern Australia there are 4 seasons! They are not as distinctly different as in the Northern Hemisphere, but we have them: Spring: Sep-Nov, Summer: Dec-Feb, Autumn: March-May, Winter: June-Aug.
You will find a year round dive destination during your Australia tours, but, for most part, late August to early December yields the best conditions for diving holidays. The best time for an Australia liveaboard is July to November, although in the Coral Sea at Osprey Reef and North Horn, visibility peaks during June and September. The tropical monsoon season is January-March and cyclones can occur then. Winds: Between May and August usually strongest.
|
Average Weather Chart for North Queensland |
|||||||||||||
|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
||
| Water Temperature | C F |
28 |
28 |
28 |
25 |
25 |
22 |
22 |
22 |
23 |
25 |
26 |
27 |
| Air Temperature |
Average 1 to 2 degrees higher than water temperature |
||||||||||||
| Rain |
most |
most |
most |
bit |
least |
least |
least |
least |
least |
least |
bit |
bit |
|
| Recommended Wetsuit Options |
3mm |
3mm |
3mm |
5mm |
5mm |
5mm |
5mm |
5mm |
5mm |
3mm |
3mm |
3mm |
|
In short:
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. Can differ according to destinations.
The Great Barrier Reef experiences an average visibility of 20 metres (~65 feet) with a range of 20 to 30 metres.
The Coral Sea experiences an average of 30 metres (~100 feet) visibility.
For Diving On Heron Island-Visibility can be 30 metres in winter; and average water temperature is 27 degrees all year.
Osprey Reef.-Australia’s Coral Sea reefs are renown for crystal clear water with average visibility in excess of 100 feet
Recommended Reading: