The Best Dive Centres in New South Wales

An Eastern Suburbs PADI 5 Star IDC on Bondi Road teaching through Instructor and technical levels, with air, Nitrox and Trimix fills and manufacturer-approved servicing.

Listed by PADI as a 5 Star Instructor Development Centre, with training from Learn to Dive to Instructor and technical diving.

Gas services listed include air, Nitrox, Trimix, mixed gas and CO2 absorbent; DPV and freediving equipment rental are listed.

Jetty Dive Centre

Coffs Harbour, New South Wales

Coffs Harbour's PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centre, running the Solitary Islands dive fleet from the Jetty Strip with training, retail, Nitrox and whale swims.

Listed by PADI as a 5 Star Instructor Development Centre, with training through to PADI Instructor.

Home of the custom vessels MegaWild and 2Wild; charters leave around 7:30am and return about 12:30pm.

A Willoughby PADI 5 Star IDC founded in 1985, teaching recreational through Trimix and rebreather courses with PADI, SDI and TDI, and testing cylinders in-store.

Listed by PADI as a 5 Star Instructor Development Centre; founded in 1985.

Gas services listed include air, Nitrox, Trimix, mixed gas and CO2 absorbent; rebreather (CCR) rental is listed.

A Sydney operation associated with training across recreational and technical levels, boat diving and equipment services.

Located at Ramsgate in southern Sydney; advertises over 50 dives per month.

Lists scuba gear retail, courses, guided shore and boat dives, gear hire, equipment servicing and social dive events.

Geo Divers

Sydney, New South Wales

A Sydney PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centre running small-group courses with two PADI professionals, from Discover Scuba through Instructor training.

Listed by PADI as a 5 Star Instructor Development Centre with nine PADI instructors.

Offers Discover Scuba, Open Water and 15 PADI specialty courses; courses run with two PADI professionals.

Byron Bay's PADI 5 Star dive centre, running three daily departures to Nguthungulli Julian Rocks with training from Try Scuba to Divemaster.

Advertises daily Julian Rocks diving.

Advertises introductory scuba diving for non-certified visitors.

Merimbula Divers Lodge

Merimbula, New South Wales

An SSI dive centre with its own accommodation, classroom, shop, air and Nitrox and a purpose-built boat, running small classes on the far south coast.

Describes itself as a fully integrated dive centre with accommodation, classroom, shop, air and Nitrox, and a purpose-built dive boat.

Classes are usually no more than four students, from Open Water through Instructor Training.

Shellharbour Scuba

Shellharbour, New South Wales

A Shellharbour Village dive shop giving access to Bass Point and Bushrangers Bay, teaching SDI and TDI courses from beginner to technical levels.

Instructors teach SDI and TDI courses from beginner to specialised technical training.

Provides access to heritage-listed Bass Point Reserve, where weedy seadragons, giant cuttlefish and pygmy pipehorses are recorded.

An SSI Instructor Training Facility at Killarney Vale with two full-time Instructor Trainers, onsite servicing for all major brands, and freediving courses.

Listed as an SSI Instructor Training Facility with two full-time in-house Instructor Trainers.

Onsite technicians service regulators, BCDs and cylinders for all major brands.

Dive Centre Manly

Manly, New South Wales

A Northern Beaches operation with a long-standing presence at Shelly Beach, offering recreational training, boat diving and technical pathways.

Listed as a PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centre, operating in Manly since 1993.

Operates two facilities: the dive centre in Manly and a purpose-built dive training centre at Manly Vale.