Club History

The Tasmanian Scuba Diving Club (TSDC) is one of the oldest scuba diving clubs in Australia. The TSDC was formed in Hobart in 1967 when the Army Scuba Diving Club decided to establish a civilian arm, The club was formed with the aim of "fostering the sport of scuba diving" and quickly grew away from its Army beginnings.

At that time little dive gear was available for purchase and a lot of war surplus diving equipment could be found in various states of disrepair. The diving mostly attracted fit young males who had started spearfishing as boys. The rest of Hobart thought they were all foolhardy for taking on such a dangerous sport. Crayfishing was the main activity and in those days one diver could get a bagful of huge crayfish after just one dive at the Iron Pot.

The opening of stores like Aqua Scuba in the late 1960s allowed diving to take off locally by offering cheap and reliable equipment. Increasing interest in diving was also spurred on by popular films such as Beau Bridge's "Sea Quest", the drama "The Barrier Reef' and Jacques Yves Cousteau's many documentaries.

Initially the TSDC ran its own training courses, heavily influenced by the BSAC training system from Britain. When professional training organizations arrived in Australia the club instructors formed the core of a new breed of professional instructors that expanded the local diving market in Hobart.

The 1980s saw the increased involvement of a wider section of the community, especially women. Gone were the days of the macho male ex-spearfisherman who had rnade up the core of the club members previously. Now our members are a more diverse group of people and are just as likely to be interested in photography as catching crayfish. By the mid 1980�s the club had saved up for its own boat, allowing it to travel further to explore new dive sites in greater safety and comfort.

Thirty years later, the club is in its fourth boat and the club is atill an active and innovative social organization with members from every walk of life. We do every sort of diving and are out almost every weekend. The focus has changed from an emphasis on cray-bashing 30 years ago to a wider appreciation of the spectacular underwater scenery, unique marine life, sponge gardens, caverns, wrecks and photographic opportunities offered in Tasmania’s waters.