• Morning Tea - Fruit platter and assorted biscuits

• Lunch - Buffet-style lunch spread with chicken, ham, salami, cheese, salads, assorted condiments, bread, peanut butter and vegemite

• Afternoon Tea - Fruit platter, cheese, crackers and assorted biscuits

• All Day - Tea, coffee, cordial and chilled water

Day Trip passengers will receive a trip status confirmation via text or email from the Operator at 4pm the day prior to their scheduled trip.

A trip is confirmed when the forecast weather conditions are safe enough to travel, and the tour has met minimum passenger numbers. If you do not receive a confirmation via text or email, please check your junk mail. If you still have not received a confirmation by 4:30pm, please call The Operator on: (07) 4724 0600 and select 2 if after hours.

Tropical North Queensland is great for diving all year round, with different marine life encountered with every season.

Winter (June to Sept)

The winters usually bring cooler, clear days with better visibility. However, the winds vary from light to 25 knots in about 1-2 weeks cycles. The following are to be expected during this time of year:

• Humpback Whales July to Sept.

• Visibility tends to be better: 15-25 m +.

• The water temperature is 21-24 degrees Celsius.

• Daytime air temperature is up to approximately 25 degrees Celsius.

• Night-time air temperature is down to 10 degrees Celsius.

Spring/Summer (Oct to Dec)

In summer, the water warms up and generally offers lighter winds, perfect for more snorkelling and diving.

Coral spawning occurs around the full moon in October and November

January to April is the wet/cyclone season with high humidity but can offer some great diving with extended periods of calm seas between tropical low-pressure systems.

• Huge schools of bait fish, Manta Rays and occasional Whale Sharks are seen.

• Visibility is approximately 10-15 m +.

• The water temperature is approximately 25 – 31 degrees Celsius.

• Air temperature from 28 – 35 degrees Celsius.

The prerequisites are:

• Must hold a Minimum of Open Water Diver.

• Must have a Minimum of 6 Logged Open Water Dives

• If you have less than 15 logged dives, you must dive with a guide.

You must bring your certs and Logbook with you to show on board.

Yes, dive times are restricted to 45 minutes on the S.S. Yongala. The Operator does not allow decompression diving, so all divers must stay within their decompression limit. Nitrox is available to extend your personal no-decompression limit, which is great for multiple dives but must be booked in advance (fees apply). 

Yes, you can dive the S.S. Yongala on your Open Water certification as long as you have 6 logged dives. Anyone with fewer than 15 logged dives will be required to do guided dives. A shared guide is $20 a dive per person. This is mandatory due to the wreck being considered an advanced dive due to the depth and possibility of strong currents at this site.

The tanks are mainly 88 cu ft (11 Lt) aluminium tanks with “K” valves. DIN valves or adaptors are available on request.

Please inform The Operator prior to trip departure if you have a ‘DIN’ regulator so they can ensure you are catered for.

The crew on board will find a dive buddy for you on the day, trying to match your skill level as much as possible. They also offer experienced Dive Guides for $20 for each dive, which can be paid for onboard.

Yes, you can still dive in stinger season. The Operator ensures all divers are offered full-length wetsuits or stinger suits to protect them during the stinger season. Box jellyfish are coastal dwellers and are, therefore, unlikely to be encountered at the reef. Irukandji Jellyfish is a planktonic animal found throughout the tropics. Their sting can be extremely distressing but unlikely to be life-threatening.