South Australia offers travellers some of the most rare and memorable wildlife encounters on the planet: swim with cuttlefish, meet a bird of prey and dive with wild dolphins.
Check out our list of South Australia’s best wildlife encounters to inspire your next trip.
Opening image: Raptor Domain. Image: Tourism Australia.
Cruise with cuttlefish
Whyalla is home to an utterly unique marine spectacle: the annual migration of Giant Australian Cuttlefish. Between May and August, these colour-changing masters of camouflage gather in their thousands to mate and spawn. Able to change their colours and patterns as they swim, the cuttlefish create a spectacular display for snorkelers and divers. It’s a chance to witness nature’s creativity firsthand as the ocean becomes an incredible display of light and colour – so who needs Vivid?
Meet birds of prey
Kangaroo Island’s Raptor Domain is a sanctuary for the protection and conservation of birds and reptiles through rescue, rehabilitation, education and research. It is renowned for its awe-inspiring raptor shows, where passionate keepers showcase the grace and power of eagles, owls and falcons. As the only free-flight Birds of Prey presentation in South Australia, guests can get up close to these majestic creatures through interactive demonstrations. From the thrill of watching a wedge-tailed eagle soar to learning about the conservation efforts that sustain these birds of prey, Raptor Domain is all about education and adventure.
Swim with Australian sea lions
For those with a love of marine animals, the Eyre Peninsula offers an amazing opportunity to swim with Australian sea lions. Known as the “puppies of the sea” for their playful nature, these charismatic creatures are a joy to encounter. Companies like Calypso Star Charters will take you out on a tour from Port Lincoln to Baird Bay, or you can also spot an endangered colony lounging on Kangaroo Island (at Seal Bay, of course). Kangaroo Island Ocean Safari or KI Marine Adventures will be your guides to meet these cheeky sea lions face to face.
Wonderful whale watching
From June to September, South Australia’s coastline becomes a stage for one of nature’s great performances: the annual migration of Southern Right Whales. At the Head of Bight, a protected marine park, these sheltered waters are a safe haven for over a hundred Southern Right Whales to give birth and raise their calves every year. Take a boat tour through a whale nursery with EP Cruises and spot newly born calves learn how to swim and breach, or even stroll along the purpose-built boardwalk to see them up close.
Dive with dolphins
Swimming with intelligent and playful wild dolphins is surely on every nature-lover’s bucket list, and there are so many places in South Australia where you can do just that. Kangaroo Island Marine Adventures offers charters from Kingscote and Emu Bay to remote coastal beaches where you can swim with wild bottlenose dolphins, or Temptation Sailing can take you from Glenelg Beach just minutes from Adelaide for dolphin viewing and swimming experiences. The Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary also offers a wonderful chance to kayak amongst these beautiful creatures as they play, feed and nurture their young in a 10,000-year-old mangrove forest.
An avian haven
South Australia is a paradise for birdwatchers, with nearly 500 bird species calling its diverse landscapes home. From the coastal wetlands of Coorong National Park to the arid expanses of the Flinders Ranges, every region offers unique opportunities to spot rare and endemic bird species. The Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary welcomes 27,000 migratory birds annually, making it a hotspot for both local and international birdwatchers seeking to tick species off their list. The banks of the Murray, Australia’s longest river, are home to 200 species of waterbird. In the Flinders Ranges keep an eye out for emus and Wedge-tailed Eagles, while Kangaroo Island is one of the last remaining habitats for the rare Glossy Black Cockatoo.
Kangaroos and koalas
For encounters with these quintessential Australian icons, South Australia takes the cake. In Adelaide, you can see koalas snoozing in the treetops of leafy Eastern suburbs, while many more can be spotted in the lush bushland of the Adelaide Hills. Here you’ll find the Cleland Wildlife Park, where you can take a selfie with a koala. And despite the name, Kangaroo Island is actually one of the best places to see koalas in the wild in Australia.
Kangaroos can also be spotted on the island, and there are large populations hopping through vineyards in regions like the Adelaide Hills, the Clare Valley and the Barossa – so you can sip vino with a view of kangaroos grazing nearby! You might also find some sunbaking on the Yorke or Fleurieu Peninsula, or relaxing by the Murray. If you’d like to hand-feed a kangaroo, head to Gorge Wildlife Park or Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary.
Loved reading about South Australia’s best wildlife encounters? For more awesome wildlife experiences around Australia, check out top 7 bucket list animal experiences.
Travel to South Australia
Rex flies to Port Lincoln and Adelaide. Book your tickets here and check out the route map below.
