About Us

Our interests are:

• Early scuba diving
• Helmet (also known as hard hat or standard dress) diving
• Wartime frogmen
• Collecting vintage diving equipment, books and memorabilia
• Restoring vintage diving gear
• Early rebreathers
• Unusual diving gear
• Meeting others with an interest in diving history.

Our magazine Classic Diver, is our primary output and is published four times a year. An electronic bulletin is produced in most months, provided there is new information to be shared. We also organise and encourage educational displays, trade show displays, research, historical walks, film nights, bibliophile meetings and the preservation of historical diving equipment and ephemera.

The Society also organises and encourages regional meetings. Regional groups are currently active in New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania and South Australia. In other areas meetings are organised between members directly. Information about regional gatherings is made available to all members by post or email, on a regular basis.

We also work closely with Historical Diving Societies in the United Kingdom, Europe and USA.

We encourage people with an interest in historical diving to join us.

Disclaimer

The HDS Aus-Pac is a membership-based, not for profit, incorporated organisation, formed in 1997. Administration of the Society is carried out by a small Committee elected by the members on an annual basis. There are no paid positions at any level within the Society. Due to the tyranny of distance over the huge area in which the HDS Aus-Pac operates, committee meetings are held by email. Committee Minutes are reported in the electronic bulletin and magazine.  Our financials are reported to the membership at the AGM and in the AGM minutes sent electronically to members.

The HDS Aus-Pac is not involved in any in-water activities. Diving is potentially hazardous and may cause serious injury or death. The Committee of the HDS Aus-Pac suggests that to dive without proper training or procedures, using equipment that you have not been trained or have experience with, or equipment that has not been well maintained, all increase this risk. The HDS Aus-Pac is not a substitute for any of the above in any way. Common sense and diving within your own experience and ability, is each members choice.

This web content is authorised by the Committee.