New whale watch centre opens in South Australia

June 2008.  

South Australia's Tourism Minister, Jane Lomax-Smith, has opened the redeveloped South Australian Whale Centre at Victor Harbour at the start of the 2008 whale-watching season. Dr Lomax-Smith says the centre is an important part of the State's appeal to nature-based visitors who visit national parks, go bushwalking or watch for whales and dolphins.

"The South Australian Whale Centre is the State's only dedicated whale and marine-focussed interpretive centre," Dr Lomax-Smith says. "The centre has grown into a pre-eminent visitor attraction, becoming the focus for the development and promotion of whale-related ecotourism in South Australia.

"Closed since March last year for redevelopment work, the centre reopens today as a marine environment centre with a focus on tourism, education and research. There is also a private movie theatre where people can watch underwater film footage of sea life around Encounter Bay. The general public has never seen the footage before now.

"It is estimated there is a world population of 4000 southern right whales and Australia has a visiting population of 600 to 800. This whale was hunted to the verge of extinction during the early 19th Century because it was a valuable source of oil. The whales have been protected in South Australia since 1931."

The Department for Environment and Heritage, Zoos South Australia, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, the Rodney Fox Shark Experience Trust and Steve Burnell of Deakin University all provided funding or in-kind support for the Whale Centre's redevelopment.