Head of Bight Southern Right Whale Nursery
high
July - September
SA
Head of the Bight on the Nullarbor coast is one of the world's most significant southern right whale nurseries, and the clifftop viewing experience is arguably the most dramatic shore-based whale watching in Australia. Mothers and calves congregate in the sheltered bights directly below 70-metre limestone cliffs, sometimes in groups of a dozen or more, visible from directly above with no obstruction. The sheer intimacy of the viewing is profoundly moving; watching calves roll and nurse while their enormous mothers rest at the surface. Combine with the Nullarbor drive for one of SA's great road trip experiences. The site is remote but the whale numbers and cliff setting have no equivalent anywhere in Australia.
Head of Bight Whale Watching Centre is located within the Yalata Indigenous Protected Area, approximately 20 km south-east of the Nullarbor Roadhouse on the Eyre Hwy (2 hr from Ceduna). The centre has sealed access road, car park, toilet, and seasonal cafe. Entry fee payable at the centre. The boardwalk to the cliff-top viewing platforms is wheelchair accessible.
What affects timing
Numbers peak July–September. Head of Bight Whale Watching Centre is open seasonally. Numbers vary year to year. Some seasons bring 100+ whales, others fewer. Cows and calves tend to concentrate in the protected bights.
Viewing is shore-based only, there is no boat access in the sanctuary area. The cliffs at Head of Bight are unfenced and can be up to 70 m high. Keep children well back from cliff edges. The site is 2 hours from Ceduna on the Nullarbor - carry water and fuel.