2. Seal By Conservation Park
Location: Seal Bay, Kangaroo Island
One of South Australia’s best examples of eco-tourism at work, the Seal Bay Conservation Park serves as another truly natural wildlife encounter quite unlike any other in the country.
This natural heritage area is home to around 1,000 Australian Sea Lions in total, ranking it as the third-largest of its kind in Australia, yet it’s the only such spot in which visitors can encounter sea lions up close in the company of a National Parks ranger.
Located around 45 minutes from Kingscote, the adventure at Seal Bay begins by visiting the visitor’s centre (tickets are purchased here) which provides some overview and background on the sea lions.
After that, you’ll have the option of experiencing its offerings in one of two fashions: a booked guided tour is required to walk the beach alongside the sea lions, while a dedicated boardwalk is also available for those who want to self-guide and view them from afar.
While the boardwalk still offers a solid vantage point, given for most visitors a trip to Kangaroo Island is a once-in-a-lifetime proposition, opting for the guided experience will be the go-to for the majority.
These tours begin by traversing the series of stairs and walkways leading out to the beach, then walking on sand on the beach proper and getting remarkably close to the sea lions.
The sea lion numbers are quite staggering when witnessed firsthand, both on the shore and playing in the waters beyond.
This natural heritage area is home to around 1,000 Australian Sea Lions in total, ranking it as the third-largest of its kind in Australia.
Once on the beach, it’s fascinating to watch the interaction between sea lions of all sizes and stages of their life cycle, male and female alike.
Seal Bay can be quite a lively scene when visiting during mating season in particular, as the territorial and competitive nature of the sea lion bulls often puts them into conflict with one another – an impressive sight, given some of these big boys can weigh upwards of 350kg!
As a result, it’s both mandatory and sensible to keep your distance (around 10 metres is the guideline), while during the tour your ranger will point out individual characteristics of some of the regulars, as well as their habits and what makes them tick.
There’s ample time for some excellent photo opportunities to be had throughout the 30 minute tour duration as well; Seal Bay has long ranked as one of the favoured destinations in Australia for wildlife photographers for this very reason.
Abundant birdlife such as gulls and plovers round out the scenery, making for a thoroughly enjoyable overall wildlife experience.
As with any other beach, it can get quite hot particularly if visiting during the middle of the day; bring a hat and some water, or visit earlier in the morning (pre-11am) or later in the afternoon (post-1pm) if possible.
Seal Bay is as memorable a wildlife experience as one can have in the state, and while it can be pricey if travelling in a group, the uniqueness of the encounter provides a highly worthwhile return on investment.
