There are already many dive sites that you can explore as a scuba diving day trip from Brisbane. But if you’re ready to drive a little bit further for the weekend (or a long weekend!), here’s a list of additional destinations you can put on your list. I have ordered the list according to the approximate time to drive to the destination from Brisbane.
This article does not include scuba diving destinations you can reach by plane, as the list would become way too long! If you’re looking for inspiration for scuba diving sites in Australia, you can use this map and filter by activities.
Minjerribah (Stradbroke Island)
Drive from Brisbane: 45 minutes + boat transfer
Level: minimum Open Water
Minjerribah (Stradbroke Island) makes a great day trip from Brisbane for scuba diving, but it’s also perfect for a weekend! It’s always special to spend time away on an island, and there’s a lot to do to keep you busy when you’re not scuba diving!
Mooloolaba
Drive from Brisbane: 1.5 hours
Level: minimum Open Water
You can easily dive from Mooloolaba as a day trip from Brisbane. But if you wish to do a night dive on the HMAS Brisbane, or a fluoro dive, then it’s a good opportunity to turn your trip into a weekend! There are a lot of things to do on the Sunshine Coast if you choose to stay for a few days.
Byron Bay
Drive from Brisbane: 2 hours
Level: minimum Open Water
Scuba diving Byron Bay can be done as a day trip from Brisbane, but it makes a fantastic weekend getaway! There’s a lot to do in this beautiful region.
Julian Rocks is one of the most reputed dive sites in Australia.
Rainbow Beach
Drive from Brisbane: 3 hours
Level: minimum Advanced
Wolf Rock, just in front of Double Island Point, is a fantastic dive site. The boat trip to Wolf Rock from Rainbow Beach isn’t short but it’s worth it, for the views and for the dive. It is a perfect place to see the big ones all year round: rays, sharks, giant groupers, turtles… We didn’t know where to look!
Hervey Bay
Drive from Brisbane: 3.5 hours
Level: minimum Advanced (for HMAS Tobruk)
You can dive the HMAS Tobruk or other local wrecks from Hervey Bay. During winter, you’re almost guaranteed to hear the whales sing underwater. It’s a fantastic and easy weekend away from Brisbane.
North Solitary Islands
Drive from Brisbane: 3.5 hours
Level: minimum Advanced and experienced (for a chance to go to Pimpernel Rock)
You can dive the North Solitary Islands from Wooli in New South Wales. Marine life was abundant, from small nudibranchs and shrimps to big rays and sharks. You’ll have to be very lucky with the weather conditions and the experience of other divers to make it to Pimpernel Rock.
Lady Musgrave
Drive from Brisbane: 4.5 hours + long boat trip
Level: Advanced preferable
Lady Musgrave has some of the best dive sites on the Great Barrier Reef, accessible when the conditions are good for experienced scuba divers. Beginners can dive or snorkel the lagoon. It’s a long day trip from Bundaberg, but doable on a weekend away from Brisbane if you can share the drive.
Bundaberg
Drive from Brisbane: 4.5 hours
Level: minimum Open Water
There are a few shore dives near Bundaberg (Barolin Rocks) that can be fun to explore during a weekend away from Brisbane. You can also dive the HMAS Tobruk and Lady Musgrave from Bundaberg if you don’t mind a long boat trip.
Coffs Harbour
Drive from Brisbane: 4 hours
Level: minimum Open Water
You can dive the Solitary Islands (North and South) from Coffs Harbour. If you go there for a long weekend, you can drive back inland (same itinerary as the South West Rocks road trip).
South West Rocks
Drive from Brisbane: 5 hours
Level: minimum Open Water
At Fish Rock Cave, you can dive into an impressive cave to see big rays, grey nurse sharks and many other species of fish. It’s always an impressive experience.
The drive to South West Rock is quite long just for a weekend, but it can become a fantastic road trip if you turn it into a long weekend!
