Diving

Chances are that if you go to Australia, you’ll be dipping a toe in that big blue wobbly thing that mermaids live in. (That’s the sea of course – apologies to Blackadder’s Baldrick.) With over 35,000km of coastline, Australia is a diver’s paradise: and it’s not just those gorgeous tropical waters of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) that tempts us - divers used to the cooler waters of northern Europe will be in their element in the temperate waters around Tasmania and the southern coast. Find some of the best dive locations, including wrecks at Scuba Australia and Scuba Travel.

There are plenty of opportunities to learn to dive while Down Under, and qualify for your PADI open water or take other courses such as cave diving. Liveaboards are a popular option for experienced divers and again can be found pretty much anywhere you want to dive - especially on the Great Barrier Reef. Three nights on board at Cod Hole costs from $1,385 (£618) per person, including 12 dives around the Ribbon Reef.

The east coast’s Great Barrier Reef is probably the prime location for starting your diving adventure: as well as warm, clear waters and teeming marine life to watch, there are myriad wrecks among the treacherous to explore. Marine biology lovers will be entranced by the grouper, batfish, king fish, trevally, sweetlip and parrot fish plus sea snakes, turtles, lion fish, dwarf mike whales and barracuda. Yes, there are sharks around – but mostly divers only encounter placid nurse or reef sharks that ignore you if you give them space. If you do see any sharks, just play it cool and get your ironing board out for some extreme underwater ironing - that ought to confuse them!

If you really want to see a shark, however, then your best bet is to head to the west coast and try your luck at spotting the biggest of them all: a giant whale shark. These gentle plankton-filterers are simply awesome and head towards Ningaloo Reef off the coast of Exmouth every year between April and July. As long as you respect these huge creatures, give them space and don’t back them onto the reef, you’ll enjoy one of the most amazing dives or snorkels of your life.

There are some amazing shipwrecks to take a peek at too: Queensland’s SS Yongala is not to be missed - it sank in 1911 during a cyclone, killing all on board, and lay undiscovered for over 50 years. It has now been colonised by rays, giant grouper, dolphin and even the odd tiger and bull shark, and the site is also only 30 minutes away from the mainland, so pretty easy to get to. Note that you’re not allowed to enter the ship though, and divers have been arrested for doing so.

If giant kelp forests and seals are more your bag, try wreck diving in Tassie - most are in shallow water and well broken up, so good for divers who can’t or prefer not to go too deep. Try the SS Nord, which is still pretty intact, or check here for more ideas.