What is the minimum age for scuba divers in Australia?

Hello waynerb-ga

Its looking like their is no minimum age. I'll check some more to
confirm (look for further comments).The certifying agencies have
different requirements. I would make sure to take any certification
documents you may have.The excerpt below, from an FAQ on australian
diving from scubadiving.com.au/, is a good example. You can find it at
(http://www.scubadiving.com.au/Shells1x.html)

What's the minimum age to learn to scuba dive?
There are six or seven certifying agencies in Australia, and their
minimum age requirements vary slightly. Recently, 12 years of age has
been the minimum age for any "junior" open water dive course (the
names vary depending on the agency). Now, some of the certifying
agencies have dropped this minimum age requirement to 10, with special
instructor to student ratios and class size limits. The Junior
Open Water type course certifies the younger diver, and enables them
to dive in the presence of a suitable and responsible fully certified
dive partner or dive professional (instructor, assistant instructor or
divemaster). A junior open water diver can upgrade to a "full" open
water
diver at 15years of age.



OTHER SITES WITH VARYING AGE REQUIREMENTS:

Australasian Diving Academy (10 years minimum)
Training page
<http://www.ausdiving.com.au/scuba.gen/training/15>

Reef Magic Cruises (12 years minimum)
Scuba page
<http://www.reefmagic.com.au/introdive.htm>

Sunreef Diving Services (8 years minimum)
<http://sunshinecoast.worldtourism.com.au/SunreefDiving/>

Affordable Cairns - tour service (14 years minimum)
Diving page
<http://www.affordablecairns.com.au/bigcat_reefrocket.shtml>

Discover Scuba Diving - Melbourne (15 years minimum)
Diving page
<http://www.divemelbourne.com.au/discover_scuba_diving.htm>


Google search keywords (I limited by domain to "au" (Australian sites)

"minimum age" scuba diving site:au

"minimum age" legal scuba diving site:au



rapidreference-ga

I can find nothing confirming a legal age limit for scuba diving in
Australia. I don't belive there are age regulations. Private dive
associations do have their own limits (see excerpt below), but there
appears to be no governmental restriction. It would be nice to find
something that definetively states that "there is no minimum age
requirement" but I'm not finding it.

"When can I teach my own kids to dive?  
<http://www.oceans.com.au/faq.html>

As per Golden Rule Two, don't teach your kids yourself unless you are
a fully qualified instructor. Dive associations lay down the minimum
ages for Scuba Diving students  but it is important also to consider
the physical and mental attribute of the child. The child must be able
to adequately lift a scuba tank and kit up on his/her own. (There are
various sizes of air tanks so this should not be a problem). More
important however is the matter of general attitude and shall we say
maturity. Whatever you do, don't push or entice in any way,
particularly a child, to take up the sport. See Golden Rule Three."

Google search:  

legal scuba age site:au


Good luck. Don't forget to submit a clarification request if you are
unclear on any information provided here.

Thanks,

rapidreference-ga