Dive. Spear. Sport are opening a new Dive Facility in the Town of 1770.
A brand new state-of-the-art dive school and Southern Great Barrier Reef scuba diving and spearfishing operator set to open this summer in popular Queensland tourist town – and they are here to change the game.
The small and increasingly popular twin towns of Agnes Water and the Town of 1770 in Central Queensland will become home to a brand-new state of the art dive training facility and tourism operation this December. Winner of the Queensland Small Tourism Town of the year in 2021, the twin towns of Agnes Water and 1770 is home to the East Coast’s furthest north surf break. Combine that with its proximity to the pristine Great Barrier Reef, and it’s no surprise it has seen an exponential increase in popularity and investment particularly since onset of COVID-19 in 2020.
One such investment is a brand-new dive operation set to open its doors to the public this weekend. Dive Spear and Sport @ 1770 is unique, purpose-built dive centre model, not seen in the dive industry in Australia.
Located in a prime spot just 200m from both the beach and the main town of Agnes Water, the facility includes a retail space and booking office, briefing and chill out zone, onsite 12m training pool with a viewing window to watch the in-water classes, multiple classrooms and casual learning areas, servicing and gear storage areas, workshop areas and other facilities to make the experience a comfortable, high-quality tourism offering.
Carmen Bolton, owner of Dive Spear and Sport @1770 who also has a second location on the Northern Beaches of Sydney has been driving this project for the last two years.
“Being such an untouched gem on the GBR, we wanted to create the ultimate dive destination experience. We designed a dream centre, built for ocean lovers, by ocean lovers. Having worked and dived in destinations all over the world, we picked and chose the elements that we loved most about various centres from all different countries and combined them with our knowledge, experience and some fresh ideas of our own to create a dream facility. This truly is a dive centre built for the next generation of divers.”
With the pristine Southern Great Barrier Reef just an hour from shore, as well as several wreck dives and a variety of wildlife frequenting the area year-round, Dive Spear and Sport @ 1770 will have a range of activities to offer all levels of divers and freedivers alike.
So, what sort of services are on offer? Dive Spear and Sport @1770 will offer recreational scuba diving trips to the reef, as well as technical diving opportunities on wrecks up to 48m for qualified divers. Other services include diving, spearfishing, and freediving courses and charters and a range of other products and services. Running a dive vessel accommodating a maximum of 25 divers, the operation will cater for certified divers and experienced spear fishers and freedivers.
“Our focus is smaller groups, who are active in their sports to experience parts of the underwater world that are relatively unimpacted by commercial tourism. The operation will consistently move sites around the reef, keep group numbers small and maximise the experience while keeping tourism impact low. Minimal impact to the reef is at the core of our business model.” – Carmen Bolton – Owner, Dive Spear and Sport @ 1770
“Dive Spear and Sport @ 1770 will complement the vast array of water-based activities already available in our region and with its comfortable climate, stunning setting and proximity to the Southern Great Barrier Reef and surrounds, Agnes Water/Town of 1770 it is the perfect location. The operation with its broad range of available training and charter options will be a welcome addition to the sustainable traveller itinerary and provide yet another drawcard for this perfect piece of paradise.” Gus Stedman CEO, GAPDL.
Dive Spear and Sport @ 1770 will open on Saturday 3rd December, 2022 with operations due to start the following week.
Dive Spear and Sport @ 1770
4 Jeffery Court, AGNES WATER QLD 4677 (07) 4962 1218 e: info@dss.com.au
Dive Spear and Sport Northern Beaches 1749 Pittwater Rd, MONA VALE NSW 2103 (02) 9999 3903 e: info@dss1770.com.au
About Dive Spear and Sport:
Dive Spear and Sport is an 100% Australian owned and operated scuba diving, spearfishing and freediving operation. Founded in 2015, Dive Spear and Sport has two locations in Mona Vale, on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, and at Agnes Water, in the Gladstone Region. Dive Spear and Sport offers a range of services across the sports of scuba diving, spearfishing, freediving and snorkelling offering courses, boat dives and experiences, retail and services. As a five star SDI Professional Development Centre, Dive Spear and Sport offers diving certifications from Open Water to professional, technical diving and specialty training.
Being a 100% female owned company, we support equal opportunities for women and women in business
Photo Credit: Mark Tilley
