YOUR DAY WITH YONGALA DIVE…
Your day trip to the S.S. Yongala wreck begins on arrival at their premises at Alva Beach. Whilst setting up your dive gear feel free to help yourself to tea, coffee, and biscuits and mingle with your dive buddies. Then they’ll take you on a ‘unique’ day trip as they 4WD to the beach where they launch the Yongala Express for the trip to the S.S. Yongala.
A short boat ride of approximately 30 minutes brings you to the wreck in no time and straight in for the first dive. They don’t put any restrictions on your dive times either so enjoy and have fun!
Fresh fruit, cake, cordial, and water will be provided during the one-hour surface interval when they often catch turtles sun-baking on the surface. Then it’s back into the water for the final dive before heading back to Alva Beach where you can shower, change, and enjoy a wonderful Aussie BBQ whilst discussing your awesome dive experiences with your newfound friends.
What diving experience is required?
An open water certification and 6 logged dives with deep dive training is their minimum requirement for this dive (see below). The Yongala is an intermediate dive site and it is recommended that divers should be comfortable in conditions that can sometimes be challenging.
Novice divers (those with less than 20 dives) should ensure they have refreshed their skills within the last six months and will be provided with a dive guide (if the adventure or advanced certified) or required to upgrade to the PADI ‘Deep’ Adventure dive (if open water) to advance their skills to the required level and to ensure a safe and memorable experience.
The more experienced divers can choose to dive with a buddy or take a guided tour at no extra cost.
What are the conditions like?
Almost constant sunshine and temperatures averaging around 31°C in the summer and 25°C in the winter (can cool to around 14°C in the evening) combine to make this area a great destination at all times of the year. Humidity is about 70% throughout the year with the highest rainfall coming from the end of January and February.
The lovely warm waters of tropical Northern Queensland vary from around 26-31°C in the summer to 22-25°C in the winter, which means diving is possible all year around. Lookout for the whales during the winter months (June to Sept) while manta rays also make frequent appearances from June to December.
Due to the location of the wreck, they will be moored in open water, surface conditions can sometimes be choppy, and moderate currents may be experienced. If you suffer from seasickness please take appropriate medication before departure.
| What time to meet? Check-in at Yongala Dive – if making your way
Wednesday to Monday 7.30 am What time is the pickup? Daily |
Directions from Townsville
By Bus: Greyhound and Premier Busses
Free pick-ups from Ayr are available for guests in their accommodation at either 1:15 pm or 4:40 pm.
By Car: Take the Bruce Highway South directly into Ayr, at the first roundabout (by the Church) turn left into Burke Street which leads into Beach Road. Continue on for approx 16 km through the cane fields until you come into Alva Beach. As you pass the Alva Beach Tourist Park take the next left into Narrah Street – the Dive shop is the last premises on the left.
Directions from Airlie Beach
By Bus: Greyhound Busses
Free pick-ups from Ayr are available for guests in their accommodation at either 1:15 pm or 4:40 pm.
By Car: Take the Bruce Highway North, past Bowen following the signs to Ayr, and head into the main street. Turn left at the 4th roundabout into Edward Street (by the Queens Hotel). At the 2nd roundabout turn right into Burke Street which leads into Beach Road. Continue for approx 16 km through the cane fields until you come to Alva Beach. As you pass the Alva Beach Tourist Park take the 1st left into Narrah Street – the Dive Shop is the last premises on the left.