Wildlife & Nature
Where the Wild Things Are
The best wildlife & nature in Eyre Peninsula
Swim with sea lions and dolphins at Baird Bay, watch Australia's largest mainland sea lion colony haul out at Point Labatt, spot wild koalas at Mikkira Station and dive into the world's only mass cuttlefish aggregation at Whyalla. The Eyre Peninsula is one of the great wildlife encounters in Australia.
The Eyre Peninsula is one of the best places in Australia to get genuinely close to wild animals. Off Port Lincoln you can swim with wild sea lions and dolphins, dive in a cage alongside great white sharks, or watch tuna and giant cuttlefish in their natural habitat - the Whyalla cuttlefish aggregation is a globally significant winter spectacle.
On land, the parks teem with life. Emus and kangaroos graze the Gawler Ranges, ospreys and sea eagles nest along the cliffs, and rare southern hairy-nosed wombats burrow inland. At Point Labatt, one of Australia's only mainland Australian sea lion colonies lounges on the rocks below the lookout, while the Head of Bight hosts southern right whales between roughly May and October.
Much of this wildlife is protected within national and conservation parks, so come prepared and keep a respectful distance. Combine sightings with the region's walking trails and beaches for days that move easily between encounters. Winter is prime for whales and cuttlefish; summer suits sea lions and seabirds.
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59 places
Acraman Creek Conservation Park
A remote coastal park of mangroves, samphire flats and tidal creeks east of Ceduna, rich in birdlife.
Ada Ryan Gardens
Whyalla's green heart by the sea
Whyalla's oldest established gardens, right on the foreshore - shady lawns, bird aviaries, playgrounds and free barbecues a few steps from the city beach.
Almonta Beach
A dazzling white-sand and turquoise beach deep inside Coffin Bay National Park, often ranked among South Australia's most beautiful.
Anxious Bay
A wide, swell-magnet bay at Elliston with a famous surf break and the offshore Waldegrave Islands on the horizon.
Arno Bay Foreshore & Estuary
A laid-back coastal town with a tidal estuary boardwalk, safe swimming beach and a jetty over Spencer Gulf.
Australian Coastal Safaris
Guided Adventures Across the Peninsula
A local tour operator running guided four-wheel-drive, wildlife, seafood and fishing experiences across the southern Eyre Peninsula.
Baird Bay Ocean Eco Experience
Swim With Sea Lions & Dolphins
A family-run eco tour that takes you into the water with wild Australian sea lions and bottlenose dolphins in their own protected bay.
Boston Bay
Australia's Biggest Natural Harbour
The vast, sheltered bay that Port Lincoln is built on - more than three times the size of Sydney Harbour and the home of the tuna fleet.
Cape Bauer Loop & Whistling Rocks
Blowholes that whistle, cliffs that roar
A 38 km scenic loop from Streaky Bay out to the cliffs of Cape Bauer, where boardwalks lead to the Whistling Rocks and blowholes above the heaving Southern Ocean.
Cape Donington Lighthouse
A historic lighthouse at the tip of Lincoln National Park, looking out over Spilsby Island and the entrance to Boston Bay.
Coffin Bay National Park
Dunes, Surf Beaches & Sheltered Bays
A wild peninsula of windswept dunes, hidden bays and Southern Ocean surf beaches, much of it accessible only by four-wheel drive.
Coffin Bay Oysters
The World's Best, Straight From the Lease
Coffin Bay's pristine, nutrient-rich waters grow oysters regarded as among the finest on earth - and you can wade out to the lease and shuck them yourself.
Davenport Creek
Mangroves, white dunes and a creek full of fish
A remote tidal creek 40 km west of Ceduna where the most westerly mangroves in South Australia wind through white dunes - a local secret for fishing, swimming and camping.
Fishery Bay Lookout
A clifftop vantage over the wild surf and pale sand of Fishery Bay, south of Port Lincoln.
Fitzgerald Bay
A long, calm beachfront north of Point Lowly lined with shacks and camping spots, popular for fishing and gulf sunsets.
Fowlers Bay
A whaling port being slowly swallowed by sand
A tiny, historic far-west settlement where enormous white dunes tower over the old jetty, and southern right whales cruise the bay through winter.
Franklin Harbour
A near-landlocked tidal bay at Cowell, prized for its oysters, calm-water fishing, crabbing and birdlife.
Gawler Ranges National Park
An ancient volcanic wilderness of ochre rhyolite domes, organ-pipe rock formations and arid-zone wildlife on the northern edge of the peninsula.
Glen-Forest Tourist Park
Animals, Slides & Family Fun
A family-friendly wildlife and activity park near Port Lincoln, combining hand-feeding native animals with water slides, mini golf and more.
Great Ocean Tourist Drive Elliston
A clifftop loop drive around Elliston's Anxious Bay, dotted with quirky sculptures and some of the most dramatic sea-cliff scenery in South Australia.
Hally Beach & Cape Bauer Loop
A coastal drive loop west of Streaky Bay linking sheltered Hally Beach with the dramatic blowholes and cliffs of Cape Bauer.
Head of Bight Whale Watching
One of the world's best land-based whale-watching sites, where southern right whales calve below the Bunda Cliffs each winter.
Hummock Hill Lookout
A panoramic WWII-era lookout above Whyalla, sweeping over Spencer Gulf, the steel city and the Middleback Ranges.
Kellidie Bay Conservation Park
A sheltered tidal bay and coastal wetland on the edge of Coffin Bay, rich in birdlife and walking trails.
Wildlife & Nature in Eyre Peninsula - frequently asked questions
What wildlife is the Eyre Peninsula known for?
The Eyre Peninsula is one of Australia's best regions for genuine wild animal encounters. Highlights include swimming with wild Australian sea lions and dolphins at Baird Bay, watching the country's largest mainland sea lion colony at Point Labatt, spotting wild koalas at Mikkira Station near Port Lincoln, snorkelling the world's only mass cuttlefish aggregation at Whyalla, and great white shark cage diving at the Neptune Islands.
Can you really swim with wild sea lions and dolphins on the Eyre Peninsula?
Yes. Baird Bay Ocean Eco Experience, in a small fishing village between Streaky Bay and Port Lincoln, is one of the only places in Australia where you can swim with both wild Australian sea lions and bottlenose dolphins on the same tour. Tours run small groups in the sheltered bay and operate seasonally during the warmer months, so booking ahead is essential.
Where can I see sea lions for free on the Eyre Peninsula?
Point Labatt Conservation Park, about 39km south of Streaky Bay, is home to the largest permanent breeding colony of Australian sea lions on the mainland. A free clifftop viewing platform sits roughly 50 metres above the beach where you can watch the colony year-round, so bring binoculars or a zoom lens for the best view. Access to the beach below is not permitted in order to protect the animals.
When is the best time to snorkel with the giant cuttlefish at Whyalla?
The giant Australian cuttlefish aggregation at Whyalla runs each year from about May to August, with peak numbers typically in June and July. Tens of thousands gather in shallow water from around one to six metres deep near Stony Point, making it accessible to both snorkellers and scuba divers. Water temperatures are cold in winter, so a good wetsuit is essential, and guided tours and gear hire are available locally.
Can you see wild koalas on the Eyre Peninsula, and do you need to book?
Yes. Mikkira Station, a private property around 25km south of Port Lincoln, has wild koalas living in its old manna gum trees alongside roaming kangaroos and emus. Self-drive day visits are generally available in the cooler months for a per-vehicle entry fee, with a permit purchased in Port Lincoln, and guided tours run year-round. Dogs are not permitted on the property in order to protect the koalas.