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Summer

Diving Australia in January

Peak heat, peak crowds, warmest water nationwide — and stinger season in the tropics.

January is the warmest month in the water almost everywhere in Australia, which makes it the easiest month to dive and the busiest.

In the tropics it is stinger season and wet season: full-length suits are standard, and afternoon storms and run-off can knock inshore visibility around. The outer reef is largely unaffected.

In the south, January is the month temperate diving is most comfortable — Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia are at their warmest and the long daylight makes multi-dive days easy.

Green sea turtle swimming above a sunlit coral reef
A green sea turtle encounter, represented by an AI-generated editorial image.

Where to dive this month

SydneyWarmest water of the year and tropical strays arriving on the East Australian Current.New South WalesByron BayLeopard sharks and manta rays at Julian Rocks, with the strongest tropical influence of the year.New South WalesMornington PeninsulaThe most comfortable month for pier diving, with long daylight for repeat dives.VictoriaTasman Peninsula & Eaglehawk NeckWarmest Tasmanian water and the most settled surface conditions.Tasmania

At its peak in January

Leopard Shark (Zebra Shark)A docile, spotted bottom-resting shark that arrives on the east coast with summer's warm water.

Also good in January

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.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.Manta RayReef mantas at cleaning stations — Lady Elliot and Ningaloo are the most reliable encounters in Australia.

Worth avoiding in January

  • Tropical Queensland inshore sites after heavy wet-season rain — run-off reduces visibility.
  • Whyalla: the cuttlefish aggregation is months away.

Seasonality detail

Leopard Shark (Zebra Shark)

possible good peak
A summer visitor on the east coast, arriving with warm East Australian Current water and largely absent through winter.

Nearby months

← DecemberTurtle hatchlings, warm water everywhere, and the start of the tropical wet.February →The warmest water of the year on the east coast, and the tail of the tropical wet.