Introductory Diving
Refresher Course
Referral Course - (train at home)
Referral Course - (completion of ocean dives)
Open Water Course
Advanced Open Water Course
Rescue Diver Course
Dive Master Course
Instructor Course
Speciality Courses
Basic Specialty Courses |
This section takes
you through the requirements of various scuba diving courses in
Australia.
You can follow through step-by-step what courses you need
to take from your first introductory dive all the way through
to Dive Instuctor.
Accreditations
The course information provided is largely structured around
PADI accreditation, because in Australia like most countries
in the south pacific PADI courses
are most common... however, there are limited number of dive operators
that offer NAUI, SSI courses and others.
All international dive associations are recognised in Australia...
if you have a certification card (c-card) with any one
of them you can dive anywhere...
see What
certification do I need in Australia.
Australian Medical Requirements
If you just want to dive!... provided you are certified
(at any level) you will not need to take a medical examination.
If you want to gain a scuba diving certification... and if
the course you want to take has a scuba diving component you will
be required to take a medical examination. To read more about
this refer to
Australian
Dive Medicals.
Taking a Learn to Dive course
is your first step in becoming a recreational scuba diver.
When you complete your scuba diving lessons you will obtain
your scuba diving certification and be given a life time license,
that may only require you taking the occassional refresher
course to allow you to enjoy a lifetime of recreational
scuba diving.
The course will teach you the basics of scuba diving, diving techniques and equipment.
For the first two days you will gain confidence completing pool dives and doing
classroom theory then finish with four open water ocean dives.
Companies will often run their own scuba diving programs in purpose built pools
and airconditioned classrooms (most appreciated in Queenslands summer) and pools
will often have 4 metre deep sections so you can get the "feel" for
diving while training.
What is offered in the various Learn to Dive courses will vary from company to
company - so you will see differences in course length, content and cost - and
this can depend on the teaching code the company teaches under ie. PADI, SSI,
NAUI... Study the course options, then match your budget and available time against
what is offered. |
Introductory Diving |
| Prerequisites: |
- You must be able to swim
- No diving experience needed
- Minimum age 10 years
- Answer a Medical Questionaire
- Sign a Liability Release
|
Dive opportunity:
(this is not a certification course) |
This is a fully supervised dive
experience that takes you down to 20-30 ft face-to-face with the
fish... and is a great opportunity for a snorkeller to expand their
vision of the underwater world. This introductory dive gains you
no qualifications to-wards any future scuba diving course or gives
you any priveleges on your next dive - it just provides you with
the opportunity to do a scuba dive and gives you a great experience
without taking a diving course... to get your qualification you will
need to do a Learn to Dive Course
Next course: Open Water Diver |
Refresher Course
|
| Prerequisites: |
You must be a certified diver
Provide proof of certification
|
Course: 1/2 - 1 day:
|
For certified divers
who haven't dived in the past 12 months or longer and would like
to be eased back into diving under the direction of an instructor.
This course will refresh your skills and you'll revisit dive tables, hand signals
and bouyancy control.
Can be offered as:
- Half day course (pool only)
- Full day course with 2 dives
|
Referral
course (train at home) for Open Water Divers
|
| Prerequisites: |
Ability to swim
Minimum age 10 years
Dive medical required
|
Course: 2 days:
|
Designed as a train-at-home entry
level course when you have little or no diving experience and is
a way for you to get your open water certificate in two parts.
This is a popular option allowing you to complete the 2 day theory and pool
practice lessons at your local dive centre an in your own time... This course
prepares you for the 4 training dives you'll complete in another place.
Next course: Referral course - Open water diver
|
Referral
Course - Completion of Open Water Training Dives
|
| Prerequisites: |
Open water referral documentation
Minimum age 10 years
Dive medical required
2 passport photos (for certificate)
|
Course: 2 days:
|
With your 2 days of dive theory
and practical scuba exercises in the pool completed elsewhere,
you need to decide how you will complete your 4 open water training
dives.
Options available
2x1 day trips on a day boat (2 dives per trip)
2 days/1night on a liveaboard dive boat
2 days island based diving
Next course: Advanced open water diver |
Open Water Dive
Course
|
| Prerequisites: |
Ability to swim
Minimum age 10 years
Dive medical required
2 passport photos
|
Course: 4-5 days:
|
Designed as an entry level
course when you have little or no diving experience - successful
completion and certification allows you to dive anywhere under
conditions similar to those in which you trained.
There are courses that last 4,5 and 6 days. Regardless of which course you
choose the first two days are taken up by pool and theory training - after
this you will spend 2,3 or 4 days open water diving.
Certification on completion allows you to dive with a 'buddy' to a recommended
maximum depth of 18 metres (66 ft)
Next course: Advanced open water diver
|
Advanced
Open Water Diver
|
| Prerequisites: |
Open water diver certificate
Dive medical
Minimum age 15 years
|
Course: 2-3 days:
|
This is your next level of
training. You will complete 5 training dives. Emphasis is on practical
diving with 3 specified dives to be done - deep dive - navigation
dive - night dive. Your other 2 dives are elective.
Next courses: Rescue diver,
Medic first aid
|
Rescue Diver
|
| Prerequisites: |
Certified Advanced Open Water Diver
Medic First Aid certificate or approved CPR
(resuscitation) program within past 24 months
Have completed 20 logged dives (latest by
the end of the course)
Minimum age 15 years.
Medical requirements in Australia require
completion of a medical statement. A medical examination (required
by Australian Standards) is always needed.
|
Course: 3-4 days:
|
Designed to develop the necessary
knowledge and skills to effectively perform diver rescue and assists,
manage diving accident situations and render proper first aid.
Next course: Dive master,
18-21 days
|
Dive Master
|
| Prerequisites: |
PADI Rescue Diver or equivalent certification
Current first aid & CPR certification
(PADI Medic First Aid covers both)
Minimum age 18 years
A dive medical AS4005.1 if required
20 logged dives at commencement of course...
and 60 logged dives before certification
|
Course: 18-21 days:
|
Divemaster training is the
first level of leadership training with most courses offered being
PADI. You will generally have the choice to do this course full-time
in an intense training atmosphere or structure it around a busy
work or study scedule.
This course familarises you with the diver training process, and you will
be taught how to supervise and control divers in general. A lot of theory
is taught and written exams will be given.
Next course: Instructor development course
|
Instructor Course
|
| Prerequisites: |
6 months as a certified diver
Certified Divemaster with a minimum 100 logged
dives
Minimum age 18 years
First aid (resuscitation) certificate less
24 months
|
Course: 2 weeks:
|
This Instructor Development
Course (IDC) is the most recognised program in the world... combining
a mixture of classroom theory modules presented by you, your instructor
and fellow participants with additional training done in pool sessions.
|
Speciality
Advanced Diver Training Courses
|
| |
Each basic specialty course teaches
you proper techniques for that diving specialty... with a number
of specialty courses being one day courses with two dives... Many
of these courses will be offered in conjunction with a liveaboard
cruise as an extra-over cost to the cruise cost component. |
Basic
Specialty Courses
|
| |
Each basic specialty course
teaches the diver proper techniques for that diving specialty.
Most specialty courses are one-day classes and include two dives.
The basic specialties are: (sorry, no Ice Diver certification)
Night
Diver
Underwater
Navigation
Search
and Recovery
Deep
Diver
Underwater
Naturalist
Underwater
Photography
Medic
First Aid
Wreck
Diver
Multi-level
Diving
Boat
Diver
Equipment
Maintenance
Enriched
Air/Nitrox Diver |
