SHARKS Summer vs Winter | Byron Bay Diving

So it’s pretty well established that Australia has 2 seasons, Summer…. and Winter, and depending on where you’re from they’re pretty much the same thing. But beneath the surface of many of Australia’s rocky coastlines, it’s a totally different story. This is Julian Rocks and it’s one of my favourite places to scuba dive, and freedive!

The main difference here is in the wildlife, and it’s Australia, so by wildlife I mean sharks.

Summer at Julian Rock is epic. The warmer water attracts schools of these beautiful Leopard Sharks up to a hundred large (or Zebra Sharks if you’re from the USA). They stay here from December to May, and on a good day you’ll get the chance to interact with a number of these beautiful gummy mouthed sharks. There’s also plenty of large Bull Rays, Marble Rays, Turtles and if you’re lucky Manta Rays!

But as the warm water starts to leave, so to do the leopards – let’s dive into winter.

So you will that many of the regulars are still here over winter, but our sharks species is totally different. These guys are Grey Nurse Sharks, (or Ragged Toothed Sharks, or Sand Tigers depending on where you’re from) they’re large and they look fierce, and well that’s the appeal to diving with them – but truthfully they’re very relaxed and unbelievably docile, usually spending most of their time in large schools in gutters between the rocks.