When most people think of diving in Australia, the first thing that comes to mind is most likely the world-famous Great Barrier Reef. You might be surprised to hear that there is more out there than just the reef and that the city of Sydney harbours some of the nation's most interesting and beautiful dive sites! It's a fact that the waters around Sydney are a touch chillier than the tropical seas of Queensland, but if you are properly kitted with a good wetsuit, there's an amazing variety of spectacular marine life present just waiting for you to see it!

The first thing to do if you aren't a Sydney native is to check into the Hotels Ultimo Sydney Australia for a quiet and comfortable stay a bit removed from the harbour hustle and bustle, but still conveniently located and at very affordable prices. Once you have secured your lodgings, it's time to grab your gear and go hit the water!

HMAS Adelaide - Not too far north of Sydney in Terrigal lies the wreck of the HMAS Adelaide, a former naval frigate that was scuttled in 2011 to a depth of about 136 metres where it now serves as an artificial reef. The wreck lies about 1.8 kilometres off Avoca Beach near Terrigal and is easily accessible via a short boat ride. The hull had large openings cut into it so divers and marine life alike could easily access the engine room, bridge deck, helicopter hangars, and guided missile area. Species like kingfish, bannerfish, and octopus live in and around Adelaide, and during the winter you might even be lucky enough to spot migrating humpback whales passing by! This might not be one of Australia's most popular or well-known dive sites, but we think the HMAS Adelaide is one of its best, and well worth visiting!

Kurnell - This beautiful dive site is located in Sydney’s Botany Bay National Park. This is where you can find the incredible weedy sea dragon, as well as being the home of dwarf pipe horses, nudibranchs, crabs, rays, and cuttlefish. High tide is considered to be the best time to dive, although you can see the amazing marine life any time of day.

Magic Point - If you are into sharks, then this is the place for you, it's practically teeming with them! A brief boat ride from Maroubra will bring you there, where the rocky shelving and large caves provide a home for a community of grey nurse sharks. The rock formations are adorned with kelp and soft corals, and you can find wobbegong carpet sharks lazing about the bottom. Port Jackson sharks and bull rays can also be seen gliding among the schools of fish that roam about the rocky point. It's definitely safe to go back in the water with these sharks, and you will find yourself wanting to do it again soon!

Australia is a great place to dive, come down under, the water is fine!