Wildlife & Nature
Where the Wild Things Are
The best wildlife & nature in Whyalla
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.
Browse wildlife & nature by area
7 places
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.
Fitzgerald Bay
A long, calm beachfront north of Point Lowly lined with shacks and camping spots, popular for fishing and gulf sunsets.
Hummock Hill Lookout
A panoramic WWII-era lookout above Whyalla, sweeping over Spencer Gulf, the steel city and the Middleback Ranges.
Point Lowly Lighthouse
A heritage lighthouse and keeper's cottages on a narrow spit east of Whyalla, gateway to the famous cuttlefish snorkelling.
Whyalla Conservation Park
A pocket of semi-arid bushland with a trail up Wild Dog Hill through mallee and bluebush to long views over the plains.
Whyalla Cuttlefish at Point Lowly
The World's Only Mass Cuttlefish Gathering
Each winter, tens of thousands of giant Australian cuttlefish gather in the shallows at Point Lowly to breed — found nowhere else on earth.
Whyalla Wetlands & Mangrove Boardwalk
A boardwalk and trail through mangroves and constructed wetlands near Whyalla, rich in birdlife on the upper Spencer Gulf.