Seal Bay

Exploring the south coast of Kangaroo Island, you’ll discover the magnificent Seal Bay.

Watch out over the beautiful beach and enjoy the Seal Bay Conservation Park. The seaside park is one of the best places to peacefully watch Australia’s largest sea lion population play and grow.

The seals can be seen frolicking across the sand and in the waters, sunbathing under the hot Australian sun and hunt across the horizon. If you’re planning to visit the beach remember to never approach the sea lions and keep a safe distance.

Approaching the beach. you’ll wander down an 800-metre pathway, winding along cliffs and sand dunes. Stop and look out over the bushy areas you’re passing through, during the spring the bushed are dotted with bright wildflowers.

Remember to look down too! During the hot Australian summers, sea lions can be found hiding underneath the boardwalk. The elevated boardwalk provides plenty of shade for them to enjoy and cool down in.

Sea Lions and Kangaroo Island

Since the European discovery of Kangaroo Island, the sea lion population has been exploited. Until 1953 they were used as shark bait by fishers before the Royal Society of South Australia had a successful plea with the South Australian Museum. The plea asked them to protect the sea lions along the coast of Kangaroo Island so that they could no longer be used as baits.

Since then the sea lions have been protected, part of their protection includes limiting the number of people able to access the beaches where they are. A small fee is also charged at the Seal Bay Visitor Centre to visitors wishing to go see the sea lions. This fee is used to help protect them and is put towards conservation and protective efforts.

Seal Bay offers tours each day as well as special twilight tours during the warmer months. Tickets are purchased from the Seal Bay Visitor Information Centre.

Humpback Whale Skeleton

As you wander down the boardwalk, keep an eye on the sand for the magnificent humpback whale skeleton. The juvenile whale measures about ten metres in length and washed onshore during a massive storm in 1984. The Seal Bay staff were so keen to preserve the whales skeleton that in 1996 they moved the skeleton to its current location.

If you’re there in peak breeding season, you might be lucky enough to see sea lion pups playing in the bones. They love messing up the bones and throwing them around, leaving quite the mess for Seal Bay staff to clean up each evening!

Seal Bay is a fantastic escape on Kangaroo Island. Explore the magnificent sea lion population and learn all about these miraculous animals. A stop to the Seal Bay Visitor Information Centre is a great idea if you’re after more information on these cool animals or purchase yourself a souvenir to remember the trip by.

Easily accessed from all parts of Kangaroo Island, Seal Bay is a beautiful addition to any Kangaroo Island itinerary.