Autumn
Scuba Diving in Australia in March
Whale sharks arrive at Ningaloo; the east coast holds summer warmth without the crowds.
March is one of the best months to dive Australia. The east coast retains summer water temperatures while school holidays end, and Ningaloo's whale shark season begins following the mass coral spawning.
Visibility on the Great Barrier Reef generally improves as the wet season eases, and southern Australia stays comfortable well into the month.
For a single month that works almost everywhere in the country, March is the strongest candidate.
Ningaloo & ExmouthWhale shark season opens, following the mass coral spawning and the plankton bloom it triggers.
CairnsWet season easing, reef visibility improving, still very warm.
SydneyWarm water holding, with autumn often producing the clearest conditions of the year.
Coffs Harbour & the Solitary IslandsSolitary Islands at their most tropical, with anemone beds at their best.Ranked guide: the best dive sites in Australia in March →
Businesses documented at the sites where this month's peak species are found.
Blue Bay DiversBrunswick HeadsA Brunswick Heads charter running the 8.5-metre catamaran Bay Warrior to Julian Rocks and less-visited Byron sites such as Windarra Banks and the Cape Pinnacle.BoatSource-backed profile
Manta Lodge & Scuba CentrePoint LookoutSSINorth Stradbroke Island's only full-service scuba centre and an SSI Instructor Training Center, with two boats, on-site lodging, and technical and freediving training.BoatCoursesAdvancedProTechHireSource-backed profile
Wolf Rock Dive CentrePADIA Rainbow Beach operation specialising in Wolf Rock, an advanced offshore pinnacle site known for grey nurse sharks.BoatCoursesAdvancedProNitroxHireSource-backed profile
Sunreef MooloolabaMooloolabaPADIThe Sunshine Coast's only PADI 5 Star IDC, with roots to 1976 and three dive vessels running the ex-HMAS Brisbane, Flinders Reef and humpback whale swims.BoatCoursesAdvancedProNitroxHireSource-backed profile
Sundive Byron BayByron BayPADIByron Bay's PADI 5 Star dive centre, running three daily departures to Nguthungulli Julian Rocks with training from Try Scuba to Divemaster.BoatCoursesAdvancedProNitroxPoolSource-backed profileByron Bay Dive CentreByron BayPADISSIByron Bay's original dive centre, running daily Julian Rocks dive and snorkel trips from The Pass with PADI and SSI training and an onsite pool.BoatCoursesAdvancedPoolHireSource-backed profileGold Coast Dive AdventuresRunaway BayPADIA Gold Coast operation focused on guided local diving and charter access to offshore sites.BoatCoursesHireSource-backed profile
Scuba World MooloolabaMooloolabaSSIA Mooloolaba SSI Instructor Training Center with air, Nitrox and oxygen, Extended Range and rebreather programmes, and boat trips to up to 15 local reef sites.BoatCoursesAdvancedProTechNitroxSource-backed profileGold Coast Dive CentreA Gold Coast training and service business serving local divers and visitors.CoursesAdvancedHireDirectory listingOther Marine Life to See in March
Australian & New Zealand Fur SealsFast, acrobatic and endlessly curious — the highlight of Montague Island, Jervis Bay and Port Phillip.Australian Sea LionEndangered, endemic, and among the most genuinely playful animals a diver can meet.Eastern Blue GroperNew South Wales' state fish — large, inquisitive and often the first thing to greet a Sydney shore diver.Giant Kelp ForestTasmania's underwater forests — dramatically diminished, and worth seeing while they remain.Great White SharkEncountered in Australia from a cage at the Neptune Islands — wildlife tourism rather than scuba diving.Green TurtleThe most commonly encountered turtle on Australian reefs, and a reliable sight at Cook Island and the southern Great Barrier Reef.Grey Nurse SharkAustralia's most recognisable dive shark — ragged teeth, entirely harmless, and critically endangered on the east coast.Leafy SeadragonSouth Australia's emblem and the most elaborately camouflaged fish in the world.Loggerhead TurtleHeavier-headed and less common than the green turtle, with a nationally significant nesting population near Bundaberg.
Leopard Shark (Zebra Shark)
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possible good peak
