Mike Ball Fact File | Barrier Great Diving Cairns Reef

Liveaboard Scuba Diving on the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea

Mike Ball Fact File

 

     Anenome and Shrimp on the Ribbon Reefs, Great Barrier Reef1969 Started Dive School in Townsville.
     1969 First Australian dive school to use cylinder pressure gauges and BCD’s.
    Townsville Bulletin Article on Mike's Stinger Suits1977 Introduced the first dive skins/stinger suits to diving.
    Watersport Dive Vessel1981 Acquires the world’s first custom built twin hull dive vessel – ‘Watersport’.
    Mike Ball Dive Expeditions Townsille Facility1981 Built Australia’s most hi-tech dive shop and training facility.
     Supersport Dive Vessel1986 Built ‘Supersport’ – to expand service to Coral Sea .
     Spoilsport1989 Built ‘Spoilsport’ – internationally credited as world’s best liveaboard.
     New Itinerary as Cairns office opens1990 Expanded operations to Cairns
     Telita1997 Purchased Bob and Dinah Halstead's Telita.  Expanded operations into Papua New Guinea.
     1997 World’s first formal Solo Diving program.
     Paradisesport - 5 Star Luxury PNG Dive Liveaboard1997 Introduced 5 star liveaboard service to Papua New Guinea with Paradise Sport .
     2000 Centralised operations at Cairns head office.
     Mike Ball accepts induction into the Scuba Diving Hall of Fame2004 Inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame at Grand Cayman Island.

     

    2005 Introduced photo competition on every departure.

     2006 Replaced Supersport in Cairns with Spoilsport.
     2007 Closed Papua New Guinea service after 10 great years.
    Eco Certified Advanced Ecotourism2007 Achieves advanced Ecotourism accreditation.
     New rebreather service on Mike Ball Dive Expeditions in 20082008 Announces new rebreather service
    Celebrating 40 Years of Diving in Australia2009 Celebrates 40 years of service to the diving industry.

    Queensland Tourism Awards 1992 Winner

     

     

      Minke Whale Research Award

     

    Best Australian Dive Experience Award

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Awards

    1977 Royal Humane Society Award
    1988 Royal Humane Socirty Award
    1992 Australian Tourism Awards - Award of Distinction Tour Operator
    1992 Queensland Tourism Awards - Best Tour Operator
    1992 Suncorp Tourism Awards - Best Tour Operator
    1992 Dive Industry Trade & Travel Association - Scuba Excellence Award

    1994 Rodale’s - Spoilsport Favourite Liveaboard - Top 5
    Rodale’s - Spoilsport Most Environmentally Sensitive - 1st Place
    Rodale’s - Supersport Best Food - Top 5
    Rodale’s - Supersport Favourite Liveaboard - Top 5
    Rodale’s - Supersport Most Environmentally Sensitive - Top 5

    1995 Rodale’s - Spoilsport Favourite Liveaboard - Top 5
    Rodale’s - Spoilsport Most Environmentally Sensitive - Top 5
    Rodale’s - Supersport Favourite Liveaboard - 1st Place

    1996 Rodale’s - Spoilsport Best Liveaboard - Top 5
    Rodale’s - Spoilsport Best Dive Staff - Top 10
    Rodale’s - Supersport Best Boat - Top 10
    Rodale’s - Supersport Best Value - Top 10

    1998 Rodale’s - MBDE Best Liveaboard - Top 15

    1999 Rodale’s - Spoilsport Best Liveaboard - Top 5
    Rodale’s - Spoilsport The Gold List - 1st Place
     

    2000 Rodale’s - MBDE Most Popular Liveaboard - Top 15

    2001 Rodale’s - Paradise Sport Best Liveaboard - Top 10
    Rodale’s - Spoilsport Best Liveaboard - Top 5

    2002 Rodale’s - Spoilsport Best Liveaboard - Top 10
    Rodale’s - Supersport Best Liveaboard - Top 10
    Rodale’s - Supersport Best Liveaboard Staff - 1st Place
    Dive & Travel Awards - Supersport Best Liveaboard - Top 5
    DAN SEAP- Contribution to DAN Award

    2003 Rodale’s - Spoilsport Top Liveaboard - Top 10
    Rodale’s - Supersport Top Liveaboard - Top 5
    Rodale’s - Supersport Top Liveaboard Staff - Top 5

    2004 Octopus - MBDE Organisation of Best Dive Trip
    MB, International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame

    2008 Fodor’s Choice Award- Fodor’s Travel Choice
    2008 2004/2005/2006/2007/2008 Minke Whale Research Awards
     

    2009 SDI – Outstanding achievement Award
    2009 Australia's 20 Best Experiences Awards - Australia's Best Dive Experience

    2009 PADI - 'Making Divers Smile Since 1969' award.