Fast facts
- Historic whaling town, ideal for a whale-watch tour
- Built around a promontory that juts into Twofold Bay
- 476 km south of Sydney, population 3,150
Why go there
The southern right and humpback whales that migrate along the coast between May and November provide thrilling encounters for passengers aboard the whale-watching cruises that operate from Eden.
At other times of the year cruises take in the bottlenose dolphins, seals and penguins found around the bay.
Eden’s Killer Whale Museum is the town’s must-see attraction, a fascinating display of boats, whaling gear, photographs and nautical apparatus. It also is the nesting place of "Old Tom", the killer whale, part of Eden's history.
Extending north and south of Eden, Ben Boyd National Park is a sensational tract of wild coast, beaches, wildflower meadows and eucalypt woodland.
The coast, where the shales and conglomerates have been gnawed by the sea into arches and caves, is particularly dramatic.
History
Eden is the site of Australia’s first mainland whaling station, established in 1828.
A century later, Eden became famous for its killer whale pod. Led by a whale known as "Old Tom", the pod would alert local whalers when other whales were in the vicinity, and whalers and killer whales would unite to herd their victims into the shallow waters of Twofold Bay.
Today, timber, along with tuna fishing and tourism, is a main source of income.
Things to do
- Take a whale-watching tour or marine wildlife cruise of the bay.
- Go wreck diving and explore the "Tasman Hauler".
- Walk with a ranger on the Fisheries Beach Walk to Twofold Bay.
- Explore Ben Boyd National Park, an amazing coastal wilderness.
Events
- Eden Whale Festival, in October/November, is an action-packed weekend of street performers, art shows, marine displays, music and carnival rides.
Don’t miss
- The skeleton of "Old Tom" in the Killer Whale Museum.
- The historic remains of Davidson Whaling Station.
- Green Cape Lightstation – go for a tour, or stay overnight.
- The Pinnacles at Ben Boyd National Park.
- Boyd’s Tower, built for whale-spotting at Twofold Bay.
