“Queensland is famous for its winter sunshine and spectacular beaches, just perfect for escaping the cold.
It is home to the world’s largest coral reef and offers some of the best scuba diving and snorkelling in the world. But the fun doesn’t end there.”
Find out more in my latest article for Stuff NZ - 13 Great Reasons to Visit Queensland This Winter.
“A Western Australia shark cull is being proposed in response to fishers concerns about loss of catches to sharks in the state….
Read MoreWalking in the Daintree Rainforest, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d stepped back in time to millions of years ago. It covers about 1200km2 of hilly terrain that makes up the northeast coast of Queensland.
Stretching down to the edge of the ocean in places and fringing remote white-sand beaches, this impressive rainforest is part of the UNESCO-listed Wet Tropics of Queensland and part of the largest continuous area of tropical rainforest in Australia.
Did you know you can visit this incredible rainforest whilst diving the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns? It's just a short bus ride away.
Find out more in my latest article for Forest and Bird magazine, Daintree Delights.
These incredible animals are able to modify the environment around them and help:
Minimise the effects of climate change.
Support healthy commercial fisheries.
Support thriving marine tourism industries.
In the Southern Ocean alone, the 12,000 or so sperm whales found there enrich the iron-poor waters with their poop, allowing phytoplankton to bloom and minimising the impacts of climate change. These sperm whales remove 200 000 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere each year!
Find our more about whales in my latest infographic for LiveAboard.com.
It’s a great resource for adults and children to learn about:
How whales support the health of our oceans and minimise climate change.
Current threats to whales.
How you can contribute to whale conservation from home.
Click on the image below to get your copy now.
Australia scuba diving is synonymous with the Great Barrier Reef, but go west and you'll discover peaceful dive sites, epic marine life and an abundance of sunshine all year.
Whilst the Great Barrier Reef is undoubtedly one of Australia's best scuba diving destinations, the diving scene in Western Australia is as good if not better.
Here's why you need to go Western Australia scuba diving:
Go Western Australia scuba diving from March to June and you can swim with whale sharks in their hundreds.
The stunning Ningaloo Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, hosts these spotty giants each year, as well as over 500 species of fish and hundreds of corals.
You don't need to be a diver to get in the water with the whale sharks either.
whale shark
If there's one place to go diving in Western Australia above all others, it has to be Rowley Shoals.
The pristine Rowley Shoals Marine Park lies 300km from Broome and is remote by anyone's standards.
Consisting of 3 coral atolls perched on the edge of a continental shelf, the shoals host abundant reef and pelagic life.
You can spot sailfish and humpback whales on the outer reef or spend your days enjoying fast-paced drift dives through flourishing reef channels.
Fewer than 200 people get to dive Rowley Shoals each year. Make sure you're one of them.
coral reef
As well as whale sharks, Ningaloo Reef also hosts a variety of large marine life thanks to the reef being part of a migration route.
Dive Ningaloo Reef and you can enjoy encounters with the marine life highlights:
Mantas (all year, peaking May to Oct)
Dolphins (all year)
Turtles (all year, nesting from Nov to Jan)
You can also spot dugong. Dive Ningaloo Reef in March to May for the chance to see impressive mass coral spawning.
Western Australia scuba diving
For a real treat, visit Ningaloo Reef from July to November and swim with huge humpback whales.
The reef hosts tens of thousands of humpbacks each year and it is one of the few places in the world where you can swim with them.
humpback whale western Australia
Read my Dives News Wire article about scuba diving Western Australia to find out more about these other highlights:
Small-group catamaran liveaboard safaris.
World-class diving away from the crowds.
“Liveaboard diving opens up a new world of dive adventures but it can be tricky to know where to start when navigating the variety of liveaboards available.
Thankfully there are liveaboard options to suit every type of diver; from new and intermediate divers wanting to enjoy peaceful coral reefs, right through to experienced divers looking for remote and challenging destinations.”
Find out more in my latest article for Scubadivermag: The Best Liveaboard Destinations for Every Diver
Featured on Scubadivermag:I have to admit I've not been sure about diving the Great Barrier Reef, Australia as I thought it would be over-run with divers. It turns out is it ideal for going off the beaten path and exploring rarely-visited dive sites if you choose the right dive safari and know where to go...Find out more in Remote Diving the Great Barrier Reef.
Featured on Scubadivermag:The Great Barrier Reef, Australia is the only place in the world where you can swim with dwarf minke whales and the whale expeditions there have had a 98% success rate of finding minke whales since they began in 1996! The largest pod they have seen consisted of 28 whales and their longest encounter with the whales lasted a whopping 10 hours!https://www.scubadivermag.com/diving-with-pint-sized-whales/
Snorkeling is very under-appreciated and yet is a great way to introduce people to the ocean, and to spend time with marine life without the hassle and work of scuba diving.There are also some incredible snorkeling opportunities out there. Who wouldn't fancy snorkeling with orcas, whale sharks or great white sharks?Find out more in my latest article, Beginners Guide to Snorkeling.
Featured in Scubadivermag: Have you checked out the best places to dive in May? There are some fantastic dive destinations to visit at this time of year and it is one of the best months to visit the Galapagos to enjoy great weather and calm conditions.https://www.scubadivermag.com/travel/dive-travel/best-places-to-dive-in-may/
