Australian skydiving

[Ultimateflite 0]

I just want to know if anyone can give me some feedback on which are the best skydiving centers to jump at in Australia for planes and amenities? I'm thinking of heading out to work at a dz their!

All limitations are self imposed

[Buried 0]

http://www.dropzone.com/dropzone/Pacific/Australia/index.html

Where is my fizzy-lifting drink?

[Ultimateflite 0]

Thanks for the update but I need feedback. Someones been their. Right!!

All limitations are self imposed

[MightyMouse 0]

Depends on where you want to be - climate varies substantially, which means lifestyle does too! In Victoria, Nagambie is probably worth approaching - they're a busy DZ and run a Cresco XL750. In New South Wales, Sydney Skydive is the busiest DZ as far as I know - they do a lot of tandems and have a good spread of fun-jumpers, and also have a Skyvan amongst other planes. Further north, you may want to try Skydive Queensland - they run a tandem operation at the Gold Coast with chopper jumps and a fixed-wing DZ inland (about an hour in from the coast) with both tandem and a good fun-jumper operation - planes vary from Caravan through 206. Further north still there are a whole lot of smaller DZs, all worth a look - Airlie Beach, Towsnville (Coral Sea Skydivers - they have atandem operation on Townsville and fun-jump at Ayre) with a 207 and a 182. Skydive Mission Beach, at Cairns, also run an XL750 - they have a busy tandem operation, don't know if they do much in the way of fun-jumping though.

Hope this helps

[BGill 0]

you aint gonna get any aussies to reply anytime soon... its nighttime there

i was there for 5 months... Picton (located near Sydney) and Nagambie (located near Melbourne) are both very very very awesome dzs. check them out.

www.sydneyskydivers.com.au
www.skydivenagambie.com.au

also, i've never been but i hear that Rambler's is a real nice dz too.

have fun!

[Ultimateflite 0]

Thanks for the websites. Oh! and it's 9.30am in the east coast of Australia. I should know this! I'm an Aussie that's never jumped their!!

All limitations are self imposed

[darrenspooner 0]

I was treated like a dog turd at Byron Bay three years ago

[Ultimateflite 0]

Define dog turd!!??

All limitations are self imposed

[darrenspooner 0]

Insulted and abused in front of my wife (called a fucking girl because demonstrated my safety drills using both hands on each handle, something I happening to be doing for a short while back then), had some guy an inch from my face when he asked a very vague and ambiguous question that I didn't answer correctly. He yelled at me "there are fucking brick walls like me all over australia, if you think you can come here and think you know it all then think again". Then he said "right, show me what you are going to do from the instant you leave the plane?" Didn't really understand what he was asking me so just demonstrated a boxman. More yelling about reserve drills.

I left there after two jumps wondering what the hell had jus happened.

One of the instructors put a tandem harness on his 5 year old boy and took him to altitude in the plane, wailing and crying "daddy, I don't want to do a tandem" just to discipline him.

Man, that was a bad experience, and I still don't understand what happened. I'm the most laid back guy out, I never raj people up and, being a psychologist, I can pretty much relate to anyone no matter what mood they're in. But this place was unbelievable.

That's what I mean by being treated like a piece of shit.

[darrenspooner 0]

But I had very positive experiences in Pakenham just outside Melbourne, and Toowoomba, outside Brisbane. Very professional laid back easy to get along with. Good experiences.

[bob.dino 0]

There are four big sport jumper DZs in Australia: Picton NSW, Nagambie VIC, Ramblers @ Toogoolawah QLD, and York WA.

Picton is my home DZ. Quite a few tandems, lots of AFF, and lots of sport jumpers. Two Skyvans, a Twin Otter, a Turbine Beaver, and a Jet Ranger. During winter we'll run either a Skyvan or the Otter all day, potentially switching to the Beaver in the late afternoon. During summer, it's usually two turbine aircraft for most of the day. Last summer it was normally the Skyvan all day, with four or five hours of the Otter through the busiest part of the day.

Nagambie runs a PAC XL750 and is focussed on sport jumpers. There aren't a lot of tandems there at all. It's a very well run DZ, and I've had nothing but good experiences there.

Toogoolawah runs Caravans. There are three on site, but they're not owned by the DZ. Great facilities, friendly people, expensive jumps. Not too many tandems. Ramblers run a separate tandem operation on the beach in Coolum.

I've not been to York, but I'm sure Squeak will chime in soon. It's his home DZ.

There are lots of smaller Cessna DZs (in NSW: Nowra, Elderslie, Warnervale, Temora, Wollongong etc.) and there are also lots of tandem factories, primarily on the tourist track along the East Coast.

The APF send an email out once a week called the APF Broadcast. Amongst other things it contains employment opportunities. Email the office and ask to be added to the list.

[bob.dino 0]

You're out by an hour. When you posted that message it was 08:30 in Sydney.

[bob.dino 0]

Having read your other thread where you state your interests are: AFF/I, freeflying, & swooping:

Picton has just built a big swoop pond (130m x 35m). We're waiting for it to rain so it'll fill . There are some top quality swoopers based here, including Drew Lipinski, Mike Vaughn, George Attard, and occasionally Robbie McMillan.

There's plenty of decent freeflyers in Picton, but competitive freeflying is only just beginning to get off the ground. The Funny Farm organisation are pretty in touch with who's doing what where in freeflying and swooping. They'd be able to tell you more.

As to making a living solely from AFF, it could be tricky. Do you fly tandem camera?

[mccurley 0]

I spent a few years at Toogoolawa. Great place to be. Nationals will be there again this year.

Picton is also very good with good people.

For a place to live I'd pick Brisbane area over the Sydney area.

Watch my video Fat Women
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRWkEky8GoI

[Ultimateflite 0]

Man!! Thanks for the update on the Aussie dzs. And sorry about the time discrepency. It's been awhile!!! Your a wealth of information. I'm also a 4-way competitor and yes I can definately do video. I guess that would be the better income?!
I 've known Drew for years. Got some numbers fron him in New York during the Pond Swooping compitition at the Ranch but have since lost them.

All limitations are self imposed

[bob.dino 0]

I can only speak for Picton here, but there's a few people that make a living doing a mix of AFF & tandem video, so it's definitely possible. Call the Sydney Skydivers office and ask to speak to the owner, Phil Onis. He's a man of few words, but he does know the commercial side of skydiving inside out.

Apropos of nothing, Phil's just done his 22,000th jump .

Edit: Phil is also very into supporting competitive skydiving. There's a large number of current and former 4- & 8-way competitors around the DZ, and teams get good deals.

[Squeak 17]

Quote

There are four big sport jumper DZs in Australia: Picton NSW, Nagambie VIC, Ramblers @ Toogoolawah QLD, and York WA.

Picton is my home DZ. Quite a few tandems, lots of AFF, and lots of sport jumpers. Two Skyvans, a Twin Otter, a Turbine Beaver, and a Jet Ranger. During winter we'll run either a Skyvan or the Otter all day, potentially switching to the Beaver in the late afternoon. During summer, it's usually two turbine aircraft for most of the day. Last summer it was normally the Skyvan all day, with four or five hours of the Otter through the busiest part of the day.

Nagambie runs a PAC XL750 and is focussed on sport jumpers. There aren't a lot of tandems there at all. It's a very well run DZ, and I've had nothing but good experiences there.

Toogoolawah runs Caravans. There are three on site, but they're not owned by the DZ. Great facilities, friendly people, expensive jumps. Not too many tandems. Ramblers run a separate tandem operation on the beach in Coolum.

I've not been to York, but I'm sure Squeak will chime in soon. It's his home DZ.

That would be me Skydive Expresshttp://www.skydive.com.au/
It's a purpose built resort style DZ less than 1.5 hours from Perth, very good facilites, run very proffessionally.
There is only one other DZ near Perth worth mentioning, but I don't like the DZO so I'm not going to mention it
Where you go largely depends on what you want to do, if you want 7 days a week tandem, then Queensland is probably the place, West Oz has a realy nice relaxed atmosphere, but since I'm not working in the industry I couldn't comment on how easy it is to get work here. I do know the the TMs are kept reasonably busy & there's a steady flow of AFF student comming htrough.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[peckerhead 0]

I just got back from Australia last month and I would also recommend Picton and Nagambie. Those were the only two DZ's I visited and I was treated well at both places. Picton has more aircraft and bigger numbers. It is only an hour or so south of Sydney.

[EvilLurker 2]

Quote

But I had very positive experiences in Pakenham just outside Melbourne

I made a couple of jumps at Pakenham, too. I had a lot of fun, but it sure seemed the beer light went on early. (Not that that's always a bad thing, but I wanted at least one more jump). I packed my rig and had a pint or two instead. If you want to jump, get there early I'd say.

[DanglesOZQld 0]

Definitely agree with the four, Nagambie York Picton and Ramblers.

I did most of my jumping years located in Victoria and have since been down for only a couple of times to Nagambie but the whole crowd down there are a huge cool family. Don and Louise rock and they are owners with heart putting back into the sport they so obviously love.

Being a Queenslander working full time skydiving I dont get much time to do anything for fun other than at my home dz but do work with guys who jump most weekends at Toogoolawah (Ramblers).

Have fun while in Oz!! BSBD! -Mark.

"A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

[fergs 0]

Up the east coast I agree with most others - Nagambie in Victoria, Picton in New South Wales and Toogoolawah in Queensland.

Fancy learning wingsuit?

Wherever you end up, smile a lot and you'll be welcomed. Shoot good video and you'll be welcomed a whole lot!

fergs

[Jasmin 0]

My pick of the lot after 8 years of jumping and 20 years of being a dz brat are:
Nsw-Picton
Qld-Ramblers
Vic-Nagambie
ACT-Temora (not quite ACT, but I love the place)

If you're coming to Sydney, let us know and I'm sure one of us can get you to the dz (PM me if you want something definite). Failing that, turn up to Picton and you're sure to find someone to play with!

xj

"I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."

[ockers 0]

I'm only a baby at this but have jumped at Byron & Ramblers and call Picton home.

Comments here seem pretty accurate. Personally I wasn't taught two-handed TAS drills so can't comment on the Byron experience! I thought the place was great and never felt remotely feaces like!

The APF publishes a list of all our DZ's with names and CI contact details. I can scan and email a copy if you want. Shout or PM if you want more.

[bob.dino 0]

That list is available here.

[yardhippie 0]

I jumped at York back in 99 I think. I was still a low number jumper (a little over 100 I think). I was greeted pleasantly, and got my gear check, signed my waiver, etc.
I asked about freeflyers, but they werent any out at the time.
I made two jumps, very nice place good ride to altitude, beautiful scenery. (I love WA)
Seemed to be a bit of a tandem factory while I was there, and I didnt get an awsome welcome vibe either.
BUT! I was still new to skydiving, at a new dropzone in a new country, and had a bit more of a wait and see attitude.
I would like to go back and give it another shot.

Hope that helps!

Goddam dirty hippies piss me off! ~GFD
"What do I get for closing your rig?" ~ me
"Anything you want." ~ female skydiver
Mohoso Rodriguez #865