Scuba Diving and Snorkelling in Australia

If you love to scuba dive or snorkel, then Australia must be pretty high on your places to visit. The Great Barrier Reef is one of the world's great scuba diving meccas and with some lesser known but equally as stunning sites, like Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia, you will be spoilt for choice on your scuba diving and snorkelling trip in Australia. Wherever you are along the Australian coast, an awesome scuba diving or snorkelling site is not far away. Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) dive courses are offered across Australia and especially on the east coast you won't need to go far before you stumble across one. Dive facilities are of a high standard, and scuba courses are not too expensive. A cheaper and often just as rewarding alternative is to hire a mask, snorkel and fins and go snorkelling.

Australia's top 10 dive sites

1. Cod Hole- On the Great Barrier Reef near Lizard Island. Great place to get up close and personal with giant potato cod.

2. Yongala wreck - Voted as one of top dive sites in the world. Trips depart from Townsville to the remains of this 100m long passenger liner. Plenty of huge fish and coral. Great for a night dive.

3. Bougainville Reef -In the Coral Sea, this lesser know site is fantastic for spotting silvertip sharks, mantas and turtles.

4. Osprey Reef - Again in the Coral Sea. Great visibility, huge fish and lots of sharks.

5. Navy Pier - Another top 10 dive site. Trips depart from Exmouth, Western Australia. A shore dive, with awesome coral, sharks and big fish.

6. Fish Rock - In New South Wales, this is an awesome cave dive with excellent chances of seeing sharks.

7. Perpendicular Wall - Located near Christmas Island, this a fantastic wall dive. Enormous, colourful fan corals and plenty of fish.

8. Pixie Pinnacle - A large pyramid shaped reef in the Coral Sea, with a huge variety of corals. Spot Moray eels, lionfish and clownfish.

9. Rapid Bay Jetty - Near Adelaide, this site offers the chance to see beautiful leafy sea dragons, pier pilings covered in life, and large schools of fish

10. SS Coogee wreck - Located near to Geelong in Victoria. This wreck dive is abundant with marine life and still quite intact.

There are numerous places to stop off for some diving time on your Australia self drive holidays.

Spot kangaroos in the Blue Mountains and sleep in a bush swag near Ayers Rock. Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef and see dolphins in the Wild West. Build your own Australia adventure.