Australia

I've been to Australia on several occasions. The first time was back in 1991 just after I'd left university. I took 3 months off and went backpacking. It was on the Great Barrier Reef that I first learnt to dive. I've since been back several times and written up my diving and travelling experiences there.

General Australian Information
Australian Diving Information

2006 Trip

I went out for Xmas in Caloundra, Qld to stay with relatives. Whilst there, I went diving on the HMAS Swan and some reefs around Mooloolaba and drove down to Redcliffe to do some diving on the Curtin Artificial Reef off of Moreton island.

2002 Trip

My 2002 trip was split into two separate parts. At the end of August, I flew into Darwin, where I went diving and visited the Kakadu National Park. Then I flew down to Alice Springs where I went on a 5 day camping safari out to Ayers Rock, Kings Canyon, Palm Valley and the west MacDonnell ranges. Next I flew onto Cairns and went diving on the Ribbon Reefs aboard Taka II. I bussed it down the coast stopping at Mission Beach, where I dived the wreck of the Lady Bowen, then onto Townsville, where I dived the wreck of the SS Yongala. Next was Airlie Beach, where I went on a 3 day liveaboard out to the Great Barrier Reef. I then went onto Rockhampton and out to Great Keppel Island before catching the Tilt Train down to Brisbane and flying out to Vanuatu.

I then returned from Vanuatu and flew into Sydney, where I hired a car. From there, I drove west to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. Then I went just north to Terrigal and did some diving over the weekend. Next I drove south past Sydney and down to Jervis Bay, where I went out on a diving daytrip. I then continued south to just before Bega, where I headed inland and up to the Snowy Mountains, staying in Thredbo. From there, I drove down east of Melbourne and stopped in Sorrento on the east peninsula of Port Phillip Bay. I did a dive on a boat out of Portsea before catching the ferry to Queenscliff. I then drove along the Great Ocean Road before heading north to the Grampians. From here I drove to Melbourne stopping at Ballarat and Geelong along the way.

Sydney/Katoomba       Terrigal       Jervis Bay       Snowy Mountains       Sorrento/Portsea       Great Ocean Road       Grampians/Ballarat       Geelong/Melbourne      

2000/2001 Trip

In December 2000 I flew out to Sydney. I travelled up the coast of New South Wales and then onto Brisbane which took just over 4 weeks. Then from Brisbane, I flew over to Perth and down south to Dunsborough. I then went north up to Exmouth on the North-West Cape, spending about 3½ weeks in Western Australia.

Sydney      Coffs Harbour
Byron Bay      Brisbane      Dunsborough
Coral Bay     Exmouth      Perth

1998 Trip

In September 1998 I spent 2 weeks in Bali and then continued onto Australia. I flew into Cairns, although the flight unfortunately went via Sydney, and I spent most of my time in Queensland. I did travel south of Brisbane, just into New South Wales, to visit the town of Byron Bay.

Cape Tribulation      Cairns
Townsville and Magnetic Island
Fraser Island      Byron Bay
Brisbane

1997 Trip

In September 1997, I decided to visit some of the parts of Australia that I'd missed out back in 1991. Apart from a brief trip to the Bungle Bungles, I'd not visited much of Western Australia. I planned to remedy this by flying into Perth and then travelling up the west coast to Broome in the north. Then I flew across to Cairns on the east coast and eventually flew home from Brisbane.

Perth      Monkey Mia, Shark Bay
Coral Bay      Exmouth      Broome
Cairns      Airlie Beach
Summary

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