Seal Bay Conservation Park
An Australian sea lion breeding site on the south coast of Kangaroo Island. Guided tours let you walk onto the sand and get close to wild sea lions.
Seal Bay Conservation Park on the south coast of Kangaroo Island is home to the third-largest breeding colony of the endangered Australian sea lion, with several hundred animals, about 5% of the species’ global population. Visitors have two options. ① Self-guided boardwalk: follow the timber boardwalk to a viewing platform above the dunes and look down on the sea lions on the beach. ② Guided Beach Tour (about 45 minutes): follow a ranger onto the sand and watch sea lions rest, nurse and play from about 10 metres away. It is one of the few places in the world where you can get this close to wild sea lions. Admission varies by option, around AUD 20–40 (check the South Australian National Parks website). Book guided tours in advance, as they fill up in peak season. Other highlights of Kangaroo Island include Vivonne Bay beach and sandsliding at the Little Sahara dunes. Getting there: take the SeaLink ferry from Cape Jervis to Penneshaw, about 45 minutes (vehicles can be carried), then drive about 1.5 hours to Seal Bay. Note: keep quiet, never touch or feed the sea lions, and expect strong sun on the beach.
Opening hours
Approx. 09:00–17:00 (extended hours in summer)
Nearby sights
- Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park & Raptor Domain
- Little Sahara
- Vivonne Bay
- Clifford's Honey Farm
- Kangaroo Island Spirits
- Pennington Bay
- Stokes Bay
- Prospect Hill (Mount Thisby)