Divers Den Celebrates 50 Years of Underwater Adventures

Divers Den, one of the world’s most acclaimed scuba diving training schools, is proud to announce the celebration of its 50th year of operation. Located in Cairns, the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, Divers Den has spent the past half-century certifying over 130,000 scuba divers, cementing its status as one of the most successful PADI training facilities globally.

Since its founding in 1974, Divers Den has been a pioneer of the dive market in Cairns. Divers Den became the first PADI five-star centre in Cairns in 1988, the first PADI 5-star Instructor Development Centre in 1998 and the first PADI Career Development Centre in Cairns in 1999, as well as being the first company to successfully operate the concept of a ‘floating hotel’ by mooring a liveaboard dive vessel at sea and transferring passengers daily with fast transfer vessels.

In early 2024, Divers Den was awarded PADI Eco Centre status, demonstrating a dedication to conservation and dive industry sustainability. Eco Centre status is a rare thing amongst PADI-certified dive shops— only 48 out of 6,500 have attained it, and Divers Den is the only one to have the status in all of Australia.

“Our entire team at PADI would like to congratulate the team at Divers Den on reaching the remarkable milestone of 50 years in the dive industry. Divers Den enjoys an international reputation as one of the world’s premier diver training schools and we appreciate the strong and successful business partnership our companies have shared,” said Danny Dwyer, Managing Director of PADI Asia Pacific.

“Since becoming a PADI Member, Divers Den has issued over 130,000 PADI certifications, 2,500 PADI professional level candidates, and introduced another 125,000 people to the underwater world via the PADI Discover Scuba Diving program. While these are outstanding numerical achievements, reached by very few PADI dive operators worldwide, we applaud Divers Den’s ongoing commitment to quality education, diver safety and professionalism as their first priority.”

Over its 50+ years of making waves, Divers Den has certified over 250,000 divers and counting. The PADI Instructor Development Course students of Divers Den consistently have a 100% pass rate, and on average 80% of the Instructor Development Course graduates are later employed by Divers Den.

Divers Den also stands out in the dive community for diversity and inclusion, as the gender ratios within its classes consistently maintain a balanced 50-50 split between men and women. This departure from the industry norm, where the ratio often leans towards 70% male, underscores Divers Den’s commitment to creating an inclusive and diverse learning environment.

“Celebrating our 50th anniversary is a monumental achievement that honours everyone who has been part of the Divers Den journey. Since its humble beginnings in 1974, Divers Den has evolved into a cornerstone of the Great Barrier Reef tourism industry, earning an international reputation for educational excellence. Our instructors have issued over 250,000 PADI certifications, and it’s been inspiring to hear stories from our earliest students as we commemorate this milestone with our global Divers Den community” said Genevieve Wardleworth, Chief Operating Officer at Entrada Travel Group.

“This year, we’re proud to become one of the first dive centres in the world to achieve PADI Eco Centre accreditation, reinforcing our commitment to environmental stewardship and inspiring the next generation of divers. As we reflect on our rich history, we’re excited to dive into the next 50 years, continuing our legacy of excellence, education, and environmental responsibility in the world of diving.”

To mark this incredible milestone, Divers Den will be celebrating with an Open Day, offering a range of family fun activities, including giveaways and intro scuba sessions in the Divers Den Dive School pool. Keep an eye on the Divers Den website and social media channels for more information on the Gala Day as it becomes available.