The Inspiring Journey of Scuba Warehouse, Geo Divers, and Judith McDonald Scuba Warehouse and Geo Divers Sydney are owned by Judith McDonald and Craig Woolven, both passionate underwater adventurers and conservationists.

Their journey began in 1984 when Judith opened Scuba Warehouse, a PADI Five-Star IDC Centre, becoming the first woman in the world to own a PADI 5-Star Dive Centre.In 2005, Craig and Judith took their passion for diving to new heights by opening the first PADI National Geographic Dive Centre in Sydney, launching Geo Divers Sydney.

Their unique course formats and unwavering commitment to safety have earned them over fifteen awards for Business Excellence, including four PADI International Hallmark of Excellence Awards, The Prime Minister’s Small Business of the Year Award, and the Small Business Champion Best Specialized Retailer Award.

They have also been recognized as one of the top three PADI Dive Centres in Asia Pacific for several years running.

Judith McDonald’s dedication to the scuba industry has not gone unnoticed. She is the only female recipient of the prestigious Australian Dive Industry Association Scuba Excellence Award. Scuba Warehouse has also won Awards for Excellence in Sport & Recreation, and Excellence in Education. Judith was named Business Woman of the Year for her outstanding contributions to the industry.

When the PADI National Geographic relationship ended in 2013, Judith McDonald and Geo Divers Sydney were recognized by PADI as the most successful National Geographic Centre in Asia Pacific. That same year, Scuba Warehouse and Geo Divers also won awards for Best Retail and Sport and Recreation in the Commonwealth Bank Awards for Business Excellence.

Scuba Warehouse boasts one of the largest ranges of snorkelling and scuba equipment in Sydney. They specialize in teaching young people to scuba dive, offering PADI Bubblemaker, Seal Team, and Junior Scuba Courses. For school-aged divers, they run
marine studies and dive ecology programs.

Their active Project Aware Team of divers participates in a calendar of ecology-based activities for young divers. They support many not-for-profit organizations related to marine ecology, the diving environment, business development, and Chambers of Commerce.

They have also received an award from the Australian Heritage Council for their work in the preservation of underwater heritage. They continue to work with the Underwater Heritage Department in monitoring Sydney’s protected wrecks and running the Wreck Spotters Project.