Location:
Stretching from South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula to Victoria and Tasmania, southern Australia’s temperate waters are home to some of the most unique and diverse marine ecosystems on the planet.
 
Why it’s a top dive destination:
Southern Australia offers cool-water diving with character — giant kelp forests, rocky reefs, and rare endemic species found nowhere else. It’s the best place to encounter the leafy sea dragon, along with playful Australian sea lions, giant cuttlefish, and colorful sponge gardens.
 
Highlights:
Leafy and weedy sea dragons near Adelaide and Kangaroo Island
Giant cuttlefish aggregations in Whyalla (May–Aug)
Seal and sea lion colonies across South Australia
Tasmania’s giant kelp forests and sponge-covered walls
 
Fun Fact:
The leafy sea dragon, a close relative of the seahorse, is found only in southern Australian waters — its leaf-like fins make it one of the most perfectly camouflaged creatures in the ocean.