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Whale Watching on the Eyre Peninsula

Sputnik /
An overhead shot is captured of a 4WD with small camper trailer parked in the middle of a sandy patch, surrounded by mossy, green bushland. The ocean stretches far and wide, and there are cliffs in the background. The sky is blue.

The funny thing about trips is if you really want to go, you’ll go.

For a year or two, I’d been meaning to get back to the Eyre Peninsula, and possibly the Head of Bight, to see the whales… but as usual, had plenty of excuses.

First, it was COVID restrictions… then work, then COVID restrictions again, then something or other, then the price of fuel… then I went. That’s the funny thing about trips: if you really want to go, you’ll make time, find a way, and just go.

That’s what I did.

Three yellow diamond-shaped roadworks signs indicating camels, kangaroos, and wombats in the next 92km. The ground is dusty, sky is blue, and bitumen road stretches far ahead.

Wildlife ahead!

I loaded up the car and my little cubby house on wheels (as I call my little 10-foot Eagle off-road hybrid van), grabbed all my favourite Snowys bits and pieces (plus a few new ones), and just took off. In fact, I took off in such a hurry that I left my front door wide open (which I didn’t find out about until I arrived home two weeks later. Turns out I live in quite an honest suburb)!

The first stop was to see the Silo Art in Snowtown, before my mandatory ‘bird nerd’ stop at Arid Lands Botanic Gardens in Port Augusta, then onto Whyalla to catch the tail end of the giant cuttlefish migration. I’ve been a few times, and it’s always great – even if my pics weren’t, this time around.

Silo Art in Snowtown, with a white 4WD and camper trailer parked out the front.

Silo Art in Snowtown

A small, yellow-faced bird with green tones in its feathers sits on a scalloped leaf branch.

Arid Lands Botanic Gardens, Port Augusta

An Australian Kestral - a light, caramel brown colour - sits on a twiggy branch. The background is a plain, sky blue.

An Australian Kestrel: Arid Lands Botanic Gardens, Port Augusta

A black crow clamps a small mouse in its beak. Its feathers are silky and black, reflecting the sunlight, and its eye is a piercing blue. The background is a mossy green colour.

A crow eating a mouse: Arid Lands Botanic Gardens, Port Augusta

After a little overnighter on the cliff at Point Lowly, I braved the cold and hit the water at sunrise for a bit of a splash. I was actually a bit late in the season this time (June or July is best), so there weren’t as many as usual – but the Cuttlefish were amazing. I saw a giant ray (which snuck up from behind and scared the bejeezus out of me) and lots of fish, so it was definitely worth the stopover.

A 4WD with small camper trailer parked in the middle of a dirt patch, surrounded by mossy, green bushland. The ocean stretches far and wide in the background. The sky is deeper blue, with pink tinges to indicate a sunrise.

Point Lowly

An underwater shot of a stingray floating through mossy seaweed. The shot has a greeny-blue hue.

A giant ray snuck up from behind and scared the bejeezus out of me!

An underwater shot of sunlight streaming into the ocean water, with shadows of many fish in the distance and mossy seaweed in the foreground.

So many Cuttlefish!

An underwater shot of a cuttlefish against mossy seaweed and rocks.

The Cuttlefish were amazing!

An underwater shot of a cuttlefish against mossy seaweed and rocks.

The Cuttlefish were amazing!

I then jumped onto the new glass-bottom boat they have out there, to see what that was like. I’m happy to report it’s not only a lot drier and warmer, but an excellent alternative for people who want to see the giant cuttlefish without having to squeeze into a wetty and brave the cold. Plus, we saw dolphins – which is always a nice bonus!

A man with a bald head and sunglasses wearing a grey hoodie stands in front of a boat with 'Cuttys' branded on the side. He is squinting as he smiles. The sky is blue.

Cuttys Glass Bottom Boat Tours

A number of adults and children gather around the glass flooring of a boat to watch the sea life and cuttlefish beneath them.

Cuttys Glass Bottom Boat Tours

My plan from here was to spend a few days driving along the coast to Fowlers Bay for a whale-watching tour with EP Cruises… but when Captain Rod called to give me the heads up about how prime the incoming whale-watching weather would be if I made it there in time, my leisurely drive turned into a mad long-distance dash!

This was also my first time giving my new GME UHF Radio a proper go, instead of just eavesdropping on the local urban truckers. I’d been told it could come in handy when wanting to overtake some of the longer trucks on the highway (some of those trucks are REALLY long) and I’m happy to confirm that, while I only used it a couple of times, it was super useful. Not gonna lie, I also find listening in to the truckers quite entertaining… so, pretty happy with that recent purchase.

The first afternoon in Fowlers with EP Cruises was bloody brilliant. Lots and lots of whales, lots of fin and tail slapping… it was everything I’d hoped it would be. When a bit of drizzle rolled through, out came the Sea to Summit dry sack to keep my camera equipment nice and dry. That bag has saved my bacon so many times, it’s not even funny.

…By ‘bacon’ I mean ‘cameras’. I don’t actually take bacon with me. 

A boat is parked by a white ramp. A bright orange ring is attached to the railing, and two are attached to the top of the boat. A man in an orange coat with a young girl in a purple jacket are disembarking from the boat and making their way up the ramp.

EP Cruises – Fowlers Bay Whale Tours

A large whale tail protruding from bright, blue ocean water.

The first afternoon in Fowlers with EP Cruises was brilliant.

A large whale fin protruding from bright, blue ocean water. The sandy beach is in the background.

…Lots of fin and tail slapping!

A white whale with dark patches emerges from bright, blue ocean water and is in the middle of falling backwards. Rocky cliffs with bushy patches are in the background.

Lots and lots of whales!

A large whale tail protruding from bright, blue ocean water. The sandy beach is in the background.

My experience with EP Cruises was everything I’d hoped it would be.

As good as that afternoon was, I decided to go out again the next day. I was so lucky I did, because right at the start of the tour we saw a sunfish! I didn’t even know we had these in SA, and seeing one of these weirdo fish was bucket-list stuff for me. The weather that second day was even better than the first, with lots of whale action including a baby white whale breaching.

After two days of whales, you’d think I’d be all whaled out…but no, I decided I’d go a few more hours onto the Nullarbor and hit the Head of Bight. I fluked a small window of good weather to see even more whales at what is Australia’s biggest whale nursery. As good as the boat tours were, seeing the whales from a higher perspective was definitely worth the extra hours of driving… and the extra five million dollars of fuel (diesel is not cheap out that way)!

The Head of Bight - the vast ocean and white wash of the shoreline is overlooked from a rocky cliff with bushy patches.

Head of Bight

A whale swims with its calf, just below the surface of bright blue water.

After two days of whales, you’d think I’d be all whaled out…

The Head of Bight - the vast, blue ocean is overlooked from a cliff. Ahead is a boardwalk / railing, where two people stand to look out at sea.

Seeing the whales from a higher perspective was definitely worth it.

A whale swims with its calf, just below the surface of bright blue water.

Even more whales at Australia’s biggest whale nursery.

With the ‘whale’ box well and truly ticked, I spent a few days coming back down the coast, stopping at Venus Bay, Streaky Bay, and others – as well as Talia Caves, the cliff sculptures at Elliston, and the nice, full Lake Gilles. I even stopped at the Big Galah in Kimba to do my regular spot on ABC radio and, of course, spent time looking for birds. This involved another stop at Arid Lands Botanic Gardens in Port Augusta, where I was lucky enough to spot my first ever Barn Owl and get a decent shot of a bird I’ve been trying to for ages: the White Winged Fairy Wren! 

A 4WD with small camper trailer parked in the middle of a dirt patch, surrounded by mossy, green bushland. The sun is setting, and the sky is a vivid blend of golds, pinks, and purples.

I spent a few days coming back down the coast.

A 4WD with a camper trailer drives down a smooth, dirt road into the sunset. The ocean stretches alongside to the left, with patches of bushland surrounding the track. The sky is streaked with thin white clouds, and the sun glows ahead on the horizon.

With the ‘whale’ box ticked, I stopped at many bays as well as Talia Caves.

The ocean glitters in the sunset, viewed through a round opening from the inside of a cave. The cave is warm, orange glow with stipply, rough walls. Water laps up against rubbly rock inside the cave.

Talia Caves

The vast ocean and white wash of the shoreline is overlooked from a rocky cliff with bushy patches. The sky is a vivid blue, padded with fluffy white clouds.

Elliston Coastline

The vast ocean and white wash of the shoreline is overlooked by a man dressed in black clothing, from a rocky cliff with bushy patches. The sky is a vivid blue, padded with fluffy white clouds.

Elliston Coastline

A man stands with his camera, back turned, looking into the vivid, golden sunset as it melts along the glassy surface of a lake.

Lake Gilles

A barn owl is perched on a tree branch, surrounded by yellowy-green leaves.

A Barn Owl: Arid Lands Botanic Gardens, Port Augusta

A bright blue bird with white wings sits on a small, brush-looking branch. The background is a light brown.

A White-Winged Fairy Wren: Arid Lands Botanic Gardens, Port Augusta

A small bird with a blue face, black beak, sandy belly and red wings is perched on a branch.

Bird watching in Lake Gilles

A bright green parrot-like bird with yellow and red patches on its wings is nestled in a bush, bathed in a warm but bright sunlight.

Bird watching in Lake Gilles

From there, I ducked across to Melrose to run the ‘short’ 15-kilometre course at the Melrose Running Festival. This runs up and down Mount Remarkable (where I think a Snowys-sponsored runner won the 50km long course in a ridiculously fast time), and smashed a post-race pizza at the new Jack Brothers Brewery. The next day, I headed for home.

A man is making a silly face into the camera, part of a running group. He wears a pink head band with sunglasses and holds a can. The group of people in the photo wear orange running bibs. There are marquees behind them, and a blue promotional flag too.

Running the ‘short’ 15-kilometre course at the Melrose Running Festival!

A 4WD with a camper trailer drives down a smooth, bitumen road into a rainbow. Bushland lines the side of the road. The sky cloudy, with blue peaking through in patches.

After smashing a post-race pizza, I headed for home the next day.

Gear that made my trip easier and more comfortable includes:

  1. My Coleman sleeping bag: it’s nice and big so I don’t feel like I’m in a straitjacket, and it kept me toasty warm in the van on some VERY cold mornings. 
  2. My little Coleman table: it might be basic, but it makes a great dinner table or office desk.  
  3. My new Dometic Fridge: this was my first longer trip with it and, while I had to MacGyver the fridge hutch to fit it in, oh my – it was so, so good. It was great to be able to take extra food and drinks with me! 
  4. After lots of research on power consumption, I also went for a little pop-up kettle – perfect for boiling water for my pot noodles! There was a really comprehensive review about power consumption on the Snowys website that made my decision much easier. Snowys’ customers really are the best when they share their knowledge like that. Thanks, Rodos from Castle Hill – whoever you are! 
  5. I’m not exactly a gourmet cook, so my little Sea to Summit Camp Set was great too! Perfect for my Weetbix in the morning, and whatever else I might eat later in the day. 
  6. Even though my little van has a decent solar and battery set-up, my Companion Power Station still comes in handy when I’m trying to manage power consumption – even if it’s just to top up my phone or iPad when I’m watching embarrassingly bad TV shows at night. But seriously, how good is Seal’s Team? (I had the 70Ah version, but this is the 100Ah).
  7. Finally – at the risk of the ol’ TMI (Too Much Information) – after much anxiety and putting off using it for as long as I could, I’m happy to report that my Thetford dunny performed admirably. I picked up all my chemicals and the special bog roll before I left, and was pleasantly surprised at how easy the whole process was. Can I just say (please, please, please), when you go camping somewhere without facilities – have a plan for what you’re going to do at toilet time. The amount of toilet paper and associated ‘stuff’ I see out there is just gross and sad. Please be awesome, and not one of those people. ☹ 
A piece of toilet paper is nestled in a twiggy bush amongst soft, sandy dirt, with an insect on the edge. There are sticks, bark, and dry twigs in the backdrop.

When you camp somewhere without facilities – have a plan for toilet time!

Have you ever been whale watching?

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