About Deep South
Tasmania's freediving school, dedicated to helping you discover the transformative power of a single breath.
About Deep South Freediving
Deep South Freediving was born from a passion for Tasmania's pristine waters and a deep respect for the ocean. What started as a small group of freedivers exploring the coastline has grown into a thriving community committed to sharing the art and science of breath-hold diving.
We believe freediving is more than a sport—it's a practice that builds mental resilience, physical awareness, and a profound connection with the underwater world. Our mission is simple: provide world-class instruction in a safe, supportive environment where every student can discover their potential, stay connected and enjoy the water.
From complete beginners taking their first breath-hold to experienced freedivers, we're here to guide your journey with expertise, patience, and genuine care.
Our Mission
To grow a safe, supportive freediving community where people of all levels can explore the ocean with confidence, connection, and care. Deep South Freediving exists to empower divers with high-quality training, evidence-based education, and strong safety culture—while nurturing a deep respect for Tasmania's marine environment and the people who call it home.
Our Vision
A thriving Tasmanian freediving community connected by courage, calm, and ocean stewardship—where every diver feels welcome, supported, and inspired to explore their potential. We envision freediving as a pathway to well-being, adventure, and ocean advocacy, with Deep South leading the way in sustainable practice, community engagement, and world-class instruction.
Our Values
Community We grow together. We support each other. We celebrate every dive, every milestone, every moment. Our strength lies in our inclusiveness and the friendships forged underwater and on land.
Safety Safety is our culture—not a rulebook. We teach evidence-based protocols, strong buddy practices, and calm, confident decision-making. Every diver is empowered to speak up, look out for each other, and dive responsibly.
Conservation We honour the ocean that gives us so much. Through education, beach clean-ups, citizen science, and mindful practice, we protect and restore Tasmania's marine environment for future generations.
Accessibility & Inclusion Freediving is for everyone. We welcome all abilities, backgrounds, and levels of experience. No ego, no judgment—just curiosity, courage, and support.
Growth & Mastery We believe in lifelong learning. Through high-quality coaching, progressive training, and personal mentorship, we help divers deepen their skills, confidence, and understanding of the ocean and themselves.
Calm & Presence Freediving teaches stillness. We help divers discover how to rest within their breath, connect with their body, and bring ocean calm into everyday life.
Joy & Adventure Freediving is meant to feel good. We prioritise fun, connection, laughter, and the pure joy of exploring Tasmania's wild waters with great people.
What Drives Us
At Deep South Freediving, we’re building a safe, supportive, and welcoming freediving community where anyone — from curious beginners to experienced divers — can explore the ocean with confidence, connection, and care. Our purpose is simple: empower people through high-quality training, evidence-based education, and a strong safety culture, while nurturing genuine respect for Tasmania’s incredible marine environment.
We believe freediving is more than a skill — it’s a pathway to wellbeing, adventure, and deeper connection. Our vision is to see Tasmania home to a thriving freediving community grounded in courage, calm, and ocean stewardship. Here, every diver feels supported, inspired, and encouraged to explore their potential.
Our values guide everything we do.
We grow together, celebrating every milestone and every moment.
We treat safety as a shared culture — a commitment we uphold for ourselves and one another.
We honour the ocean through conservation, clean-ups, and mindful practice.
We champion accessibility, welcoming all ages, backgrounds, and levels without ego or judgment.
We pursue growth and mastery, offering progressive coaching and lifelong learning.
We cultivate calm, helping divers rest within their breath and carry ocean stillness into daily life.
And above all, we lean into joy — the laughter, wonder, and community connection that make freediving unforgettable.
This is Deep South Freediving.
A place to learn.
A place to grow.
A place to belong.
Meet Our Founder
Nathan Williams
I’ve spent my whole life in and around the cold, wild waters of Tasmania. Growing up here, the ocean was my playground, my classroom, and eventually my refuge. Today, my home is in Kingborough, and most days you’ll find me somewhere walking the beach or exploring my life long favourite underwater spots.
I wasn’t always comfortable there. As a kid, I was terrified of deep, dark water. I had panic attacks, and I nearly drowned multiple times. That fear of the unknown felt huge, so I started teaching myself how to hold my breath and dive beneath the surface. Learning to freedive became my way of facing that fear. In 2021 I took a formal freediving course learned how to dive safely. That was a turning point in my life.
I’m a chef by trade, but after years in hectic kitchens I moved into horticulture, searching for a quieter life. Still, nothing felt as right as being in and guiding people safely into the water. I’ve had my own struggles, including a period of substance abuse, and time in the ocean brought a kind of relief I couldn’t find anywhere else. Freediving helped me rebuild my mental health, find calm in my body, and reconnect with a better quality of life.
What I love most is the calm, peaceful mindfulness that finds you every time you enter the water. When I started Deep South in 2025, there was no real freediving community here. DSF grew from a simple idea: help everyday people connect with themselves, each other, and the sea.
Today, our social dives and events bring hundreds of Tasmanians together in the water, but at heart it’s still just me, an ordinary human with an extraordinary love for the ocean.
Why freediving in Tasmania
Tasmania offers some of the most pristine freediving conditions in the world. From the crystal-clear waters of the East Coast to the dramatic kelp forests of the South, our island provides diverse training environments and unforgettable underwater experiences.
Training locally means you're learning in real conditions—building skills that transfer directly to your ocean adventures right here in your backyard.
Your path to Freediving
Choose the experience that fits your goals—whether you're curious about your first breath-hold or ready to earn your certification.
Pool Training
Perfect your technique in a controlled environment. Master breath-holds, equalisation, and diving fundamentals before taking your skills to open water.
PADI Freediver Certification
Earn your internationally recognised freediving certification. Learn safety protocols, proper techniques, and dive to depths of 16 meters with confidence.
Introduction to Freediving
Never tried freediving before? This discovery session is your gateway. Experience what it feels like to hold your breath underwater in a safe, supportive setting.
Breath Coaching
Unlock your potential through specialised breathing techniques. Improve your breath-hold capacity, reduce anxiety, and enhance performance—in and out of the water.
Join the Deep South Community
Freediving is better together. When you train with Deep South, you're joining a supportive community of ocean lovers who push boundaries and celebrate progress as one.
Connect with experienced freedivers for regular group sessions, find trusted dive buddies for weekend ocean adventures, and access our network for tips, encouragement, and trip planning. We organise social events, explore Tasmania's best dive sites together, and build genuine friendships through our shared passion.
The mental resilience and trust developed through freediving create bonds that extend far beyond the water. You're not just learning a skill—you're finding your tribe.
Dive deeper. Together.
