Pro Dive Sydney Open Water Weekday

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Get your scuba certification in Sydney over three weekdays or one weekend: one evening at Pro Dive's St Peters dive centre, a morning in a heated pool, then four ocean dives from the shore at sheltered spots such as Gordons Bay. No experience is needed, all dive gear is supplied, and divers can join from age 12 on weekdays or 15 on weekends.

Days

One evening and two full days, on weekdays or a weekend

Age

12+ weekdays, 15+ weekends; under-18s need a parent or guardian's consent

Group size

Up to 6 students per instructor

Start / finish

Pro Dive St Peters, then a Sydney pool and shore dive sites
Day three, about 5pm

Return

Day three, about 5pm

Accommodation

Not included; this is a non-residential course

Transport

Your own car, or transport with Pro Dive's Club Membership

Meals

Certification barbecue on day three; bring your own lunch

Route

Map of Pro Dive Sydney Open Water Weekday

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Included experiences

Online theory — three to four hours at home before the course
Pro Dive St Peters — orientation, gear fitting and exam
Victoria Park Pool — first breaths underwater and the swim test
Gordons Bay and other Sydney shore sites — four ocean training dives
Day three — certification barbecue as a new Open Water diver

Pictures / Videos

Itinerary

Map

BEFORE YOU START: THE THEORY AT HOME

After you book, your online training arrives by email: three to four hours of short modules and quizzes to finish at home, in your own time, before the first evening. Upload a headshot for your certification card while you're there. The course won't start without it, so it pays to get it done early. This is the same course and certification whether you choose the weekday or the weekend version.

DAY 1, EVENING: THE DIVE CENTRE IN ST PETERS

The course starts on a weekday evening (Monday or Wednesday) or on Friday evening for the weekend course, at Pro Dive's dive centre in St Peters, the suburb beside Sydney Park, whose four brick-kiln chimneys are left from the brickworks that once filled the site. You meet your instructor and the small group you'll train with, no more than six to an instructor. Together you go back over the online theory, try on and get fitted for your gear, and sit the exam. You go home knowing your kit and the plan for the next two days.

DAY 2: THE POOL, THE SWIM TEST AND THE OCEAN

An early start at Victoria Park Pool, the outdoor heated 50-metre pool next to the University of Sydney on Broadway. In calm, clear water you take your first breaths underwater and learn the basic skills one by one. The swim test happens here too: 200 metres without stopping, any stroke and untimed, then 10 minutes treading water or floating. Then you head for the coast and walk in from the shore for your first ocean dive, and your second if there's time. There is no boat on this course; every training dive is a shore entry.

DAY 3: YOUR LAST DIVES AND CERTIFICATION

Your instructor picks the site with the best conditions on the day. Gordons Bay in Clovelly is the usual favourite, sheltered by an offshore reef, no deeper than 14 metres, with an underwater nature trail marked by a chain. Clovelly next door is a long, narrow inlet where blue groper have been local celebrities for decades. Bare Island at La Perouse is reached by a wooden footbridge and topped by a fort built in the 1880s. Camp Cove is where Arthur Phillip's party camped in January 1788 while looking for a place to settle. Malabar takes its name from a ship wrecked there in 1931. Look out for giant cuttlefish and nudibranchs, and finish as a certified Open Water diver at the barbecue.

Map

Good to know

Meeting point: Pro Dive Sydney, 1/13–15 Burrows Road South, St Peters. After the first evening the pool and dive sites are spread around Sydney and not reachable by public transport, so you need a car or Pro Dive's Club Membership, added when you book, which includes transport from the dive centre during the course (limited seats).
Departure time: Day one about 6:30pm; days two and three from about 7am. Runs Monday to Wednesday, Wednesday to Friday, or Friday to Sunday on the weekend course.
Finishes: Day three, about 5pm.
Minimum age: 12 on weekday courses, 15 on weekend courses.
Fitness: You must swim 200 metres without stopping and tread water or float for 10 minutes. If you can't finish the swim test, you can't continue the course.
Please note: Fill in the dive medical questionnaire before you book. A yes to any question, or being 60 or over, means a doctor must sign you off at least 7 days before the start; heart disease, asthma or epilepsy may rule out diving, and the instructor has the final say. Training is in English. The whole course must be completed within 90 days of the start date.

What to bring

Swimwear
Towel
Sunscreen
Lunch

What is included

Online training and quizzes, done at home before the course
Confined water training in a heated pool
4 open water training dives from the shore
International scuba certification to 20 metres, with a digital card
All snorkelling and scuba equipment: mask, fins, snorkel, 5 mm full-length wetsuit, buoyancy vest, regulator with spare air source, dive computer, tanks, air fills, weight belt and weights
Certification barbecue on day three

Not included

Pool entrance fee (about $7, paid at the pool)
Food and drinks, including lunch
A dive medical, if required
Transport to the dive centre, the pool and the open water training sites
A physical certification card (optional extra)
A prescription mask (for sale, not for hire)

FAQ

Preparing for the trip

Do I need travel insurance?

Insurance is important in protecting visitors from loss or damange of goods, medical problems, cancelation by passengers or other casualties. Its highly recommended. Some tours on this website require you to have travel insurance. If you are Australian then it is not necessary.

Where can I get more information about this trip?

If you find that this tour page doesn't answer all your questions, then please get in contact with us! Our passionate team are always available to answer any queries you may have.

What immunisations do I need?

For the latest information on immunisations, we strongly recommend you or contact the Travellers Medical and Vaccination Centre (www.traveldoctor.com.au) to discuss health requirements for your trip. They will advise you about appropriate inoculations.

Do I need to take any medical supplies?

It is not necessary to bring any medical supplies other than any personal items you may require. Each tour carries a first aid box, and the tour guides are all certified in First Aid.

Will I be able to use my mobile whilst on tour?

You can use your mobile while touring in Australia or New Zealand, but coverage may be limited in remote areas. For best connectivity, consider purchasing a local SIM card or an international roaming plan.

How fit do I need to be?

These tours are designed to be fun, informative and active, and can be enjoyed by anyone with a moderate degree of fitness and agility. Travellers should be comfortable with hiking or walking up to 5km each day.

What should I pack?

Depending on where in Australia or New Zealand you decide to visit, your luggage will vary. For exact information please visit the "What to bring" section of each tour page.

Private tours and families

Is it possible to travel in a private group?

If you are looking for a private tour based on one of these trips, please contact us directly and we may be able to help. Over the years we have worked with families, groups of friends, schools, clubs and charities to put together the perfect trip.

Booking the trip

How far in advance do I need to book my tour?

As a rule of thumb, try to book at least 2 weeks prior to departure, this will usually get you a seat on the date you want. That being said, we cannot guarantee that spaces will be available at the time of your booking so, if you can, book as soon as possible. Bookings can still be made right up until the departure date of the tour if seats are available. If you know when you'd like to travel, please contact us and we will let you know if you need to book soon or if you have time.

Do I have to book this tour online?

Definitely not. Our website is designed to make is easy and convenient for you to schedule your tour. However we understand sometimes its nice to talk to someone directly. So by all means give us a call and we can organise your trip over the phone.

If I book more than one tour can I get a discount?

Absolutely! If you are booking multiple tours then we may be able to offer you a discount. Send us an email at info@lostinaustralia.org and let us know what you thinking of doing and we can put together a price for you.Also, be sure to look out for monthly specials on tours. We often have some great bargains.

Does the tour price include flights?

No. Tour prices do not include any travel arrangements other than for the duration of the tour itself. If you need assistance with booking flights or buses our travel team and certainly help - Just ask!

How do I know when a tour is available?

You can check the departure dates of tours by using our calendar on the top right hand corner of the tour page. This will tell you what days the tour departs. For availability of seats please contact us directly at info@lostinaustralia.org or call us.

If I make a deposit only, when will I need to pay the balance?

Balance on tours need to be paid at least 30 days prior to departure. Failure to do so could result is the cancellation of your seat with a fee charged. If you need more time to clear your balance then let us know ASAP and arrangements can be made.

Who travels with us

Is it ok to travel alone on one of these tours?

Plenty of travellers book these tours on their own. Solo travellers are very much welcomed and encouraged. During your outback adventure you'll meet new and interesting people and forge relationships that last a lifetime.Solo travellers will usually share a room with a travelling companion of the same sex, but even if you do get your own room you won't be charged extra. On camping tours there are generally enough tents available that you can have your own if you choose to.For more information please contact us directly.

Cost and Fees

Do I need to tip the guide?

If you had an amazing time on tour and wish to tip your guide, that is completely up to you. Tipping is not customary in Australia and is not at all expected.

Will I need additional money?

Travellers are advised to bring some cash, as ATMs and banks can be few and far between in the remote parts of the trip. It is handy to have some extra cash, as the tour does stop by local shops and cafes.

Are there any hidden fees I need to know about?

Our tour prices are completely transparent. There are no additional fees involved that are not included in the overall tour price shown. If you wish to do optional activities such as helicopter rides or wildlife safaris, then an extra cost may be needed. However, this will always be made clear at the time of your booking.

What does Paid Locally mean?

Some tours require you to pay national park fees directly, in cash, to the tour guide on the morning of departure. Rest assured this will be subtracted from the tour price when reserving your tour.

Whilst on tour

Can I book extra accommodation for the start and end of the tour?

We know our country inside and out and would be happy to give you good recommodations. Please contact us for recommendations.

Where do I meet the tour?

For pick-up times and locations, please check the "Start/Finish" section directly under the itinerary, which lists every pick-up point and its time.There is a lot of information there to help you plan your flights and arrival.Please review it carefully, as pick-ups can vary from tour to tour.

Reviews

5.0

Based on 3 reviews

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Real reviews from travellers who've done this tour, gathered from around the web and paraphrased.

How we collect and publish reviews

Where they come from. Our reviews are gathered from independent review sites and from guests who share feedback with us directly after their trip. They come from people who have actually travelled on the tour. Some longer trips are made up of shorter tours we also sell, run back to back — where a review was written about one of those legs, the review says so.

Why some are edited. Many of our guests travel in their second or third language. Where a review is hard to read, we lightly edit spelling, grammar and punctuation, or paraphrase a sentence for clarity. We never change the rating, the meaning or the sentiment, and we never write a review on a guest's behalf.

Reading the originals. Reviews sourced from public review sites appear there in their original form, and can be read in full at their original source at any time.

(5/5)

I did my open water course with the Alexandria team. All the instructors were great, very thorough but still fun, and I'll be back for my advanced.

Chris Goffett Verified· Travelled 22nd April 2026

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(5/5)

We did the open water course at Alexandria and loved it. Jules, Ralf and Ramon were awesome instructors.

james howsam Verified· Travelled 17th April 2026

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(5/5)

I've just become an open water diver with the Alexandria team and can't recommend them enough. Jacob was an outstanding instructor, and I'll be back for the advanced.

Juliette Vicaire Verified· Travelled 2nd November 2025

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