Australia dive advice please

[Jack]

In April,
The itinerary is already in place and all travel arrangements made. Part of the itinerary takes us up to Lizard Island for 4 days/3 nights.

This clearly isn't a dive holiday however I will pack the c-card & computer because I fully intend to get one days diving in on the Gt Barrier Reef, who knows when I'll get another chance?

Has anyone ever dived up at Lizard Island and can anyone give me any info. Is there just one dive operator up there or are there several, if so any recommendations? Any particular sites to try and get to?

Any help much appreciated.

[Sharky1973]

I'm unsure whether the Lizard Island people do diving nowadays although they certainly should. Lizard is in relatively easy steaming distance of the Cod Hole which is pretty well known. Actually, have a look here:
http://www.lizardisland.com.au/great...r-reef-diving/

On Lizard you will really be restricted to this operator (the island is privately owned, used to be by P & O but perhaps not so today).

If you can, catch one of the small planes from Cairns to the island (you'll probably have to do that anyway). The low level flight over the GBR is simply spectacular.

Now the bad news: you are coming well into FNQ's (Far North Queensland's) "Big Wet" which I would usually always advise people to avoid at all costs, but it seems that you're committed now.

The Big Wet often includes nasty things like Cyclones and I can assure you that you haven't seen "wet" until you have shaken hands with one of ours.

As for Cyclones, think New Orleans or Cyclone Tracy which simply flattened Darwin:

http://www.ntlib.nt.gov.au/tracy/

I'd advise you to tell your youngest to avoid FNQ - actually FN anywhere in Oz - between now and May. Our winter, your summer, is the best time to see FNOz.

Cheers

[Jack]

Thanks for this post, the link for Lizard Island is very useful.

As you correctly surmise we are committed to the dates now and there was never much flexibility to be honest, had to tie the visit in to coincide with daughters trip, UK business commitments etc.

We'll just have to take our chances with the weather! We've experienced a hurricane in Florida and an earthquake in Alaska so if we get hit by a cyclone in Australia we'll just have to chalk it up as another interesting experience

Thanks again

[Sharky1973]

You're welcome.
Tell me, did your Travel Agent advise you of the big wet? Obviously not.

[Jack]

You're spot on, no mention!

I arranged my own flights and then used a travel firm at your end to put together the itinerary but to be fair to them I gave them the starting point.
Broadly speaking the route is Sydney, Adelaide, Uluru, Cairns, taking in Kangaluna Camp on the Gawler Ranges, sea lions at Baird Bay, bush camp at Longitude 131 Uluru, the Daintree rainforest and finally Lizard Island and the GBF. Hopefully the weather won't affect the entire trip!


Thanks again for the advice.