Winter
Diving Australia in August
The last of the cuttlefish, humpbacks everywhere, and excellent tropical conditions.
August closes out the Whyalla cuttlefish aggregation and is a strong month for humpback whales on both coasts, including the start of Ningaloo's regulated humpback swim season.
Tropical Queensland and Ningaloo are both in reliable dry-season conditions, and the Great Barrier Reef is at its most settled.
Southern water is at or near its coldest, and the diving there is for divers equipped for it.
Australian & New Zealand Fur SealsFast, acrobatic and endlessly curious — the highlight of Montague Island, Jervis Bay and Port Phillip.
Giant Australian CuttlefishThe world's largest cuttlefish, gathering in tens of thousands at Whyalla each winter.
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.Grey Nurse SharkAustralia's most recognisable dive shark — ragged teeth, entirely harmless, and critically endangered on the east coast.
Humpback WhaleHeard far more often than seen — the soundtrack to winter diving on both Australian coasts.
Manta RayReef mantas at cleaning stations — Lady Elliot and Ningaloo are the most reliable encounters in Australia.
NudibranchsSea slugs of absurd colour and variety — the reason temperate Australian macro diving has a global reputation.
Port Jackson SharkA small, harmless, harness-marked shark that gathers in southern NSW winters to breed.
Striped Pyjama SquidA tiny, toxic, absurdly striped cuttlefish that buries itself in sand — Edithburgh's signature find.Also good in August
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.Green TurtleThe most commonly encountered turtle on Australian reefs, and a reliable sight at Cook Island and the southern Great Barrier Reef.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.Potato CodEnormous, docile groupers habituated to divers at Cod Hole on the Ribbon Reefs.Queensland GroperThe largest reef-dwelling bony fish in the world, and a defining feature of the SS Yongala.Seahorses & PipefishCryptic, slow and protected — jetty piles and sponge gardens are where to look.Spotted Eagle RayA spotted, long-tailed ray that flies rather than flaps — often seen in small squadrons over sand.
Australian & New Zealand Fur Seals
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
possible good peak
Giant Australian Cuttlefish
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
possible good peak
Giant Kelp Forest
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
possible good peak
Great White Shark
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
possible good peak