HMAS Brisbane

[INDULGENCE]

There are people around my area putting in a lot of work trying to get the HMAS Canberra to be available as a dive site such as the Brisbane.
Rumours abound about the problems being experienced by the locals with the Brisbane can some-one please shed some light
Can anyone dive the site or do you have to use pre-determined dive operators and book a time. If so do you have to pay the dive operators even though you are self sufficent.

Is there an exclusion zone for fishermen, rumour is 5kms I think more like 500m.

We also have a Grey Nurse Shark enviroment about to be claimed by the tree huggers,this reef just happens to be also the prime jewfish area. On top of the marine parks proposed for Port Stephens just north of us, you know what we are going through.

Wally

[Sandman]

Wally you can dive the Bris but require to book its well worth it.There are Dive operators who have the market to dive it i understand . Personally its abit of a rip off but i understand the money spent to put it there needs to be paid back somehow.
I think you will find its greater than 500mtr, and by looking at the species of fish now established such as the red emperor its worth it. I have noticed a few reds been caught around the area since she was sunk i wander how much this has to play on the new habitat.

[INDULGENCE]

Thanks Sandman
I guess the thing that is hard to swallow is that my local people have been collecting and seeking funds for this to happen for a while now.If we then have to pay a dive operator and it could be assumed that that operator would have paid for privilege and therefore could assume ownership.

Wally

[Sandman]

Yes it gives that impression , my view its open water and if you want to dive it , dive it.

[MrWong]

I believe the exclusion zone for fishing around HMAS Brisbane is larger - I have a feeling it is 1000m. The wreck has 8 mooring bouys, siz are for dive shops that have exclusive access to those moorings. The other two are for public use. In order to dive the wreck you need a permit, this is part of your dive fee when you go with adive operator. If you go by private boat you have to gain the permit yourself. I believe the permit is about 25 dollars per diver. When you moor to the private moorings your time is limited to two hours, therefore doing private boat dives it is very hard to accomplish a double dive on the site.
I have dived the Brisbane and it is a fantastic dive and well worth the effort. The dive operator we used was sunreef and if you require more info I am sure they would be happy to help
Cheers
Norm

[Sandman]

MrWong you are right 25 for each boat and 15 for each diver 2hour max , dived it twice with the Bugman and brother Nathan look forward to the next one. MrWong is 1000 or 2000 i can not recall but i know its wide, i think you can troll within 500mtrs .