With over 10,000 dives and nearly two decades of professional experience, Nick Leigh is a passionate and highly experienced dive professional, dedicated to exploring, protecting, and sharing the wonders of the underwater world, and he’ll be on the ANZ / Inspiration Stage at Sydney’s GO Diving Show in September talking about the Great Barrier Reef.
After completing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science in 2002, Nick discovered scuba diving while travelling and quickly realised it would become more than just a hobby – it would shape his life and career.
Working as a dive instructor in Thailand for three years, Nick went on to explore Southeast Asia before heading to the Great Barrier Reef, finding his calling leading remote liveaboard expeditions in the Far Northern Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea.
Over the years, his career has included exploring the Great Barrier Reef from north to south, specialising in remote expeditions to some of the most-untouched and spectacular dive sites on the Queensland coast and providing exclusive dive guiding for superyachts and high-profile clients.
Nick’s dedication to sharing his knowledge and passion for the marine environment expanded through becoming a Master Reef Guide, being recognised for combining a deep knowledge of reef ecology with a talent for guiding and educating divers, offering truly unique underwater experiences while highlighting the importance of marine conservation.
With a passion for underwater photography and videography, solo and technical diving became next steps on continuing his personal journey, along with sharing the knowledge and experience to the next generation of instructors as an IDC Staff Instructor, continually refining his skills both in and out of the water.
COVID changed the playing field, limiting access to the reef, but opened the door to a new chapter. Nick joined the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority in 2020 and has continued to be deeply connected to the Reef and the tourism industry through delivering the Australian Government’s $28.2 million investment in the Tourism Reef Protection Initiative that supports reef protection through tourism operators at key sites across the Great Barrier Reef.
Nick brings to the show a wealth of knowledge, extraordinary stories from remote dive sites, and a deep commitment to protecting the Great Barrier Reef for generations to come.
The GO Diving Show ANZ
This annual event, taking place this year on 6-7 September at the Sydney Showground at the Olympic Park, is aimed at showcasing the very best of our underwater world to everyone from raw novices who are either contemplating getting into diving, or have completed their entry-level courses, to advanced divers, right through to technical divers and veteran CCR divers.
There are an array of stages – the Main Stage, the Photo Stage, the Australia/New Zealand Stage, the Inspiration Stage and the Tech Stage – that will play host to dozens of speakers from around the world, as well as a host of interactive features to suit young and old, from VR diving experiences, a demonstration pool, a trydive pool, and much more.
Surrounding the stages and features will be a broad range of exhibitors, from tourist boards and tour operators to resorts, liveaboards, training agencies, retailers, manufacturers, and conservation organisations.
Get your tickets now!
Tickets for the GO Diving Show ANZ are on sale now, and you can take advantage of the 2-for-1 earlybird offer until 9 September – you and your buddy/friend/partner/spouse can visit for just $12, and kids 16 and under get in for free, making it the perfect family day out. Every ticket holder will also be entered into the grand draw, which boasts an ever-increasing array of fabulous prizes, including a Seiko diving watch, liveaboards trips, and much, much more.
There is plenty of parking on-site and the venue is easy to get to with plenty of transport options, so get the dates in your diary now and prepare for an epic weekend celebrating all forms of diving.
