Meet the Giant Australian Cuttlefish where the outback meets the sea
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Overview
Every winter, thousands of Giant Australian Cuttlefish (Sepia apama) gather on the shallow rocky reefs around Point Lowly near Whyalla. It is a rare wildlife encounter: males flash colors, compete, and guard egg-laying sites in water often just a few fin kicks from shore. Most visitors enter at Stony Point (easy facilities and a marked safe zone) or Black Point (inside the heritage-listed Cuttlefish Coast Sanctuary Zone). Expect cold temperate conditions and plan for tide timing, good buoyancy, and respectful wildlife etiquette: look, never touch. Base in Whyalla for simple logistics, then add topside road trips to Fitzgerald Bay, Port Augusta, and the southern Flinders Ranges.
Whyalla is the easiest place on Earth to watch a mass cuttlefish breeding event up close, from shore, in shallow water.
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Last updated: January 23, 2026 • 16 sources
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Trip callouts
Protected marine park habitat around Point Lowly with clear zoning and conservation focus. The core cuttlefish breeding area is nationally recognized for its natural significance.
Most cuttlefish action happens in 2 m to 8 m, ideal for scuba, freedive, and snorkel planning with minimal boat logistics.
Temperate reef, seagrass, and mud habitats mean nudibranchs, crabs, rays, and other macro subjects even outside the peak cuttlefish sites.
Short drives connect you to Point Lowly Lighthouse, Fitzgerald Bay, Port Augusta, and multi-day loops into the Flinders Ranges or down the Eyre Peninsula.
scuba
Why Whyalla for Scuba Diving
Whyalla is a bucket-list cold-water dive built around a single, extraordinary behavior: the Giant Australian Cuttlefish breeding aggregation at Point Lowly (May to August). Dives are mostly shallow shore entries, so you can spend long bottom times watching courtship displays and egg-laying without chasing depth. Local operators like Why Dive (Whyalla Dive Shop) and Whyalla Diving Services can guide you to the best access points for the day, while the Upper Spencer Gulf Marine Park zoning keeps the core habitat protected.
freedive
Why Whyalla for Freediving
If you like shallow, slow wildlife encounters, Whyalla is made for freedivers. The Giant Australian Cuttlefish aggregation happens in very accessible depths, so you can drift quietly along the reef and watch natural behavior without bubbles. Cold water is the main limiter, so plan a serious thermal setup and consider a guided session with operators like Why Dive or Experiencing Marine Sanctuaries if you are new to the sites.
snorkel
Why Whyalla for Snorkeling
Whyalla delivers one of Australia's most dramatic snorkel encounters: the Giant Australian Cuttlefish breeding aggregation, visible from shore during May to August. Stony Point is the go-to entry for most visitors thanks to facilities and a defined viewing area, while Black Point offers direct access into the sanctuary zone via a boardwalk. The trade-off is temperature: winter water can be cold, so the best snorkeling here is done with proper exposure protection and conservative time in the water.
topside
What to do when you're not in the water
Whyalla is a practical base for an outback-meets-ocean road trip. Between dives, explore the Point Lowly Lighthouse precinct, scenic coastal drives to Fitzgerald Bay, and the Whyalla Foreshore and marina. With a car, you can day-trip to Port Augusta (gateway to the Flinders Ranges) or continue down the Eyre Peninsula toward Tumby Bay and Port Lincoln.
