The club was formed in 2002 by a small group of divers who did not want to lose contact with buddies they had been diving with for years after a “local” Dive Shop closed its doors. VMR Brisbane wanted to expand its membership and community base and was therefore interested in supporting a dive group within the club. We had a common goal to create a democratic, non-profit club where experienced divers could run our their trips and charters and make our own decisions regarding dive sites without the constraints involved with student or inexperienced divers and dive shop politics. We have access to a club house, a monthly dive segment in VMR’s “Boat Talk” magazine and an existing club structure. Our first club dive was April 2002 at Henderson’s onboard Ocean Cat. We have continued our association with Ocean Cat as our charter boat of choice. The club has grown rapidly from its ten inaugural members to the current membership of forty. The priority for the club, from inception, was to make the club a democratic and social one with members voting on all matters of importance including dive sites for club trips and charters.

The VMR Lionfish is a non-profit, independent dive group under the umbrella of VMR Brisbane. We promote safe, self-sufficient recreational diving for our members and are not affiliated with any training agency or dive shop. As active social members of VMR Brisbane, we ensure an annual donation to the VMR, in recognition of the home base they provide for us and their community contribution to safety on the water. The club aims to provide a range of diving activities for its members, in a safe, recreational diving context rather than a competitive or profit driven environment. We are not an air fill station or a training club for open water diver students.

The club elects its office bearers annually, usually in June. Most of the club management is done by a committee of club members as well as office bearers. Committee meetings are held on the last Tuesday of every month at a number of different venues. All club members are welcome at these meetings and they are sometimes, as well patronised as the monthly social nights that take place on the 2^nd Monday of every month at VMR’s clubhouse on Allpass Parade, Shorncliffe.

Any club business or related issues are discussed at the committee meeting with recommendations regarding important decisions presented to the full club meeting for a vote.

The club charters Ocean Cat twice a month in summer and once a month in winter. Ocean Cat is our choice of dive boat in Brisbane and the club has chartered her since its inception. Our policy is generally, to go to the best dive site available on the day, taking into account weather conditions and our diver’s experience level. We also do trips to other local destinations such as HMAS Brisbane and Julian Rocks. There are usually Overseas or Barrier reef trips being planned each year, as well. Any member is welcome to propose trips at club nights and then depending on support, they may or may not run as a Lion Fish Dive Trip.

If you are an experienced diver, you will love the sites we dive. (Gotham City, St Paul’s, Hutchinson’s, Cherubs Cave etc) Yes, we do exploratory dive trips, every now and then.

Almost all of our diving is at an advanced level certification. This is the minimum certification you will need to reach prior joining our club.

The club has three very experienced Dive Masters, Steve Dobson, Dave Buhmann and Andrew Garvey, who supervise all club dives and assists our less experienced divers. Additionally, Steve is the Trip Director who arranges all club charters.

The club does not have instructors for open water students on any of its charters or trips as this precludes our members from diving some of the more challenging dive sites. This also brings in a commercial aspect of diving that we are committed to excluding. Instructors are very welcome in the club but for social diving only.

Meetings

When

Where

Dive Club

2^nd Monday Each Month

VMR – Allpass Pde, Shorncliffe

Committee

Last Tuesday Each Month

Advised Prior Week By Email

VMR LIONFISH Dive Group

VMR Brisbane

Allpass Parade

Shorncliffe, Qld. 4017

General Enquiries: Contact – Karen McDonald 0408 789707

Ocean Cat Trips: Contact - Steve Dobson (07) 3203 2479

Email: dive.master@lionfish.vmrsandgate.net.au

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Page Last Updated 4 August 2009

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