15 MAY 2025
As the days shorten and temperatures shift, South Australia’s rhythms change — rainfall fills the creeks, coastal waters settle and migrations begin. It’s the season that draws creatures out into the open. Southern Right Whales arrive in sheltered bays to nurse their young, while giant cuttlefish gather and shimmer in the shallows. With a little patience, you’ll gain a front-row seat to South Australia’s raw beauty. To help you find those quiet, unforgettable moments, we’ve put together the top wildlife activities to explore in winter.
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As the temperatures drop, Southern Right Whales return, tracing ancient paths along South Australia’s coast. From May to October, these 90-tonne giants migrate close to shore, calving and nursing in protected bays. You’ll spot them on boat tours in Encounter Bay, or from beaches and clifftops along Kangaroo Island and the Fleurieu Peninsula. But one of the most unforgettable views awaits at Head of Bight on the Eyre Peninsula. A cliff-top boardwalk leads to a sweeping platform where the ocean opens wide and whales drift just below. Bring your binoculars. Take your time. All you need to do is stand still and watch the wild come to you. Find the best vantage points and tours with our guide to whale watching in South Australia.
Join a tour: For a closer look, join a guided whale watching tour — where local experts know just when and where to find them. Consider EP Cruises from Folwers Bay and Untamed Escapes.
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There’s a softness to Highland cows that goes beyond their shaggy coats. Originally from the rugged hills of Scotland, they’ve somehow found a place here in South Australia. They're warm, steady and full of character — just like our people. Jump aboard a hay-loaded ATV and rumble through open paddocks to meet the herd up close. You hear them before you see them, a low, rumbling moo and the shuffle of hooves. As you roll in, they gather around, nudging for a scratch or a snack. Run your hands through their thick, straw-soft coats — it’s like brushing through a pile of winter wool, earthy and warm. Hug them, and they lean into it. Solid. Unhurried. It’s a slow, gentle activity that leaves your heart a little fuller.
Join a tour: Head to Wildhand Farm to hug cows, brush their coats and create a bouquet from native flowers grown on-site. You’ll also find them at The Farm - Clarendon, among gum trees on the Fleurieu Peninsula, and at Solstice Farm on Kangaroo Island, where they share space with chickens and veggie beds.
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South Australia in winter doesn’t just invite you to slow down — sometimes, it dares you to lean in. Off the coast of Port Lincoln, cold sea air sharpens the adrenaline as you descend into the ocean, caged but not hidden. Then — out of the deep — a shape emerges. A great white glides past, slow and certain, powerful and close. This is the only place in Australia where you can encounter these apex predators face-to-face in the wild. Full-day boat charters carry you to remote waters where the experience unfolds on nature’s terms. For those who’d rather stay dry, venture inside a glass aqua-sub with Adventure Bay Charters and watch the underwater theatre unfold from below deck.
Join a tour: Two tour operators offer shark cage diving in South Australia — Calypso Star Charters and Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions.
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Not all of winter’s wonders unfold by the water. Inland on Kangaroo Island, if you walk softly, you might observe the rustle of an echidna train — a single female followed patiently by a line of hopeful males. Koalas doze peacefully in the eucalypts at Hanson Bay Koala Sanctuary, while Mikkira Station near Port Lincoln presents a rare chance to see them in the wild, tucked into branches in surprising numbers. In the Adelaide Hills, they reside quietly too, if you know where to look. This is also the season when kangaroo and wallaby joeys first peek out from their mothers’ pouches. You don’t need to cover much ground — just be still and let the quiet draw the wildlife to you.
Join a tour: Discover Kangaroo Island Wilderness tours with local guides or book a private koala feeding tour at Cleland Wildlife Park.
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In winter, it’s not just the land that changes — the skies do too. Out in the Flinders Ranges, wedge-tailed eagles soar on the thermals above ochre ridgelines, scanning the ground in slow, commanding circles. Along the Coorong and through the Laratinga Wetlands, sharp-tailed sandpipers and red-necked stints arrive, picking delicately through the shallows. In the Adelaide Hills, yellow-tailed black cockatoos drift between the gums, their slow wingbeats and unmistakable calls echoing through the misty trees. You don’t need to be an expert — just bring your binoculars, choose a quiet spot and let the stillness do the rest. For more places to perch, peek and take it all in, visit our bird watching page.
Join a tour: Whether it’s your first bird watching trip or your hundredth, a local tour with Bellbird or Bird Tours SA is always worth it.
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The giant Australian cuttlefish migration is a rare winter phenomenon, making it one of South Australia’s most unique underwater experiences. From May to August, thousands of these mesmerising cephalopods, some up to 10kg, gather off the coast of Whyalla on the Eyre Peninsula to mate and spawn. Under the surface, the water is still and cold. Dive below and you will be surrounded by a swirling mass of colour and motion. Their skin pulses with patterns, shifting from electric blues to deep purples, as they glide gracefully through the water. On a guided tour, the quiet hum of your breath through a snorkel is all you’ll hear as you float in your wetsuit, weightless, in the middle of this underwater circus. It’s a slow, meditative experience, where time stretches and the noise of the world melts away.
Join a tour: Drift above the spectacle on Cuttys Tours' shaded glass-bottom boat, or slip beneath the surface on a guided snorkel with Pure SA or Experiencing Marine Sanctuaries.
Dream of witnessing whales and the wonders of winter wildlife? Settle into the warmth of one of these inviting winter hideaways, perfectly positioned near South Australia's prime wildlife spots.
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