Diving Neufelder See

Site Overview

Neufelder See is a flooded mine dive site in Burgenland, Austria, set among the country’s varied freshwater landscapes. Neufelder See is a former lignite open-pit mine that filled with clear, sheltered water, now one of the warmest and most popular inland dive lakes in Austria. Depths exceed forty metres in the old mining pits, giving the lake a vertical range from easy training shelves to serious depth and technical profiles. Sunken trees, training platforms and a handful of small wrecks give divers of every level something to explore without leaving the shoreline. Because it is warm for an Austrian lake and protected from wind, it is a favourite for courses, photography and relaxed fun dives year-round. The water is clear enough for good wide-angle and macro work, and the submerged structures attract coarse fish and crayfish. Local dive centres maintain entries and platforms, making logistics straightforward compared with remote alpine lakes. Conditions are typical of Austrian inland water: visibility generally runs from 8 to 25 metres, the current is low and the water temperature ranges between 4 and 26 degrees Celsius depending on season and depth. The marine life is freshwater and centred on common carp, tench, european perch, with the full community described below for those planning a dive. Because of its beginner rating and the need for Open Water certification, Neufelder See is best approached with the right thermal protection and, where relevant, altitude or overhead training. It is a representative example of why Austrian lake diving, with its cold clarity, submerged forests and wrecks, attracts divers who want something different from tropical reefs.