A family-run eco tour that takes you into the water with wild Australian sea lions and bottlenose dolphins in their own protected bay.
Playing with the puppies of the sea
Baird Bay is a tiny fishing settlement on the far west coast, and the home of one of Australia's great wildlife encounters. The family-run Baird Bay Ocean Eco Experience takes small groups by boat into a sheltered bay where a resident colony of Australian sea lions lives wild.
In the water, the young sea lions are irrepressibly curious, swirling around snorkellers, blowing bubbles and mimicking their movements. The same tour visits a pod of wild bottlenose dolphins nearby. Run sustainably for over two decades, it consistently rates as a highlight of any Eyre Peninsula trip.
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Baird Bay Ocean Eco Experience — frequently asked questions
Can you swim with sea lions and dolphins at Baird Bay?
Yes. Baird Bay Ocean Eco Experience runs small-group tours where you can swim with wild Australian sea lions and, conditions permitting, dolphins in the same outing. Wetsuits and snorkelling gear are provided.
When do Baird Bay tours operate?
Tours run during the warmer months, generally from around October to April. Bookings are strongly recommended as group sizes are small.
Where is Baird Bay?
Baird Bay is a tiny fishing settlement on the west coast of the Eyre Peninsula, roughly 50 kilometres south of Streaky Bay.
Are the animals wild?
Yes. The sea lions and dolphins are entirely wild and unfed; the experience is built around respectful, low-impact encounters on the animals' terms.
Image credits
- Sydney (AU), Coast, Australian Fur Seals -- 2019 -- 3489.jpg by Dietmar Rabich , CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons