Spectacular diving can be enjoyed at Bicheno on the island's east coast, at Tasman Peninsula near Port Arthur and at King and Flinders islands in Bass Strait. The sea along Australia's southern shores is popular with divers during summer. The water is always clear and the coastline is renowned for its colonies of sharks, whales, sea lions, dolphins and fur seals. In South Australia, many divers head inland to sample the eerie beauty of the freshwater sink holes near Mount Gambier. Piccaninnie Ponds descends for more than 60 metres in water so clear it becomes virtually invisible.
Divers compare the sensation to floating on air.
Wrecks and sea caves dot Western Australia's long coast, which offers some of the world's most pristine coral reefs. Ningaloo Marine Park in the north is so far from civilisation, only the keen and adventurous travel there. The marine park covers an area of 4000 square kilometres, with 220 species of coral and 500 species of fish. Marine life includes dugongs, rare starfish, turtles and whale sharks. Best access is from Exmouth or Coral Bay, about 1200 kilometres north of Perth.