The Eyre Peninsula is where immersive wildlife experiences are the norm, not the exception – come and meet the locals we share our home with! For ocean-lovers, we have everything you could ask for: sharks, whales, sea lions, dolphins and giant cuttlefish. Even leafy sea dragons! And on land, keep your eyes peeled for our kangaroos, cuddly koalas, emus, yellow-footed rock wallabies, wombats and numerous bird species.
Girl with kangaroos near Coffin Bay (Adele Barnes)
Immerse yourself in our wildlife
On the water
Sit safe and sound behind the bars and cage-dive with sharks in Port Lincoln, one of our most famous experiences – it’s the only place in the southern hemisphere you can do this! Though if sharks aren’t your thing, dive in and play with the puppy dogs of the sea, Australian sea lions. These friendly creatures love a good scratch under the chin, and will actually come off the rocks to play with you when you join a tour in Baird Bay or Port Lincoln. You can swim with luminescent giant cuttlefish or observe them from a glass bottom boat (that water is cold after all) in Whyalla, where they migrate every winter.
The Eyre Peninsula also has dolphins galore, both to spot from the shore or boat or to swim with on a tour! You might even meet the local pod who regularly visit the Whyalla boat ramp. And you can’t visit the region in winter without going whale watching. These majestic creatures can be seen along the coast at various points, but they congregate in the Great Australian Bight to give birth. Baby whales! They’re a lot easier to spot than leafy sea dragons, which are extremely well-camouflaged – and extremely delicate, so be very, very careful around them. They’ve been known to hang out around the Tumby Bay jetty, but a tour guide from Coffin Bay Scuba Co might help you out.
On the land
If you’d rather stay warm and dry, or it’s the cuddly kind of animal you prefer – though absolutely don’t cuddle wild animals! – check out Mikirra Station near Port Lincoln, home to a colony of wild koalas. They’re usually pretty sleepy and can sometimes be found quite close to the ground. You can camp here in winter too. Kangaroos are everywhere, including on the side of the road so watch out while you’re driving.
The national parks are a great place to find them, along with emus (particularly Memory Cove and the Coffin Bay National Park). If you’re lucky, you might even see a hard to spot yellow-footed rock wallaby in the Gawler Ranges National Park! Wombats can be found here too, as well as out further west. But if these animals still somehow elude you while you’re here, stop by Glen Forest Tourist Park and hand feed the animals there. You might even get a kangaroo kiss.