Neptune Islands Conservation Park

About

The Neptune Islands Group consist of two groups of islands located close to the entrance to and are best known as an exciting location to go cage diving with great white sharks.

This area is a world renowned hot spot for the vulnerable white sharks, that regularly forage in the area for seals. The rocky-cragged coves of the Neptune Islands are an important breeding sites for long nose fur seals. It is 's largest colony of long nose fur seals with half the Australian population breeding here. The area is influenced by the warm Leeuwin in winter and the cold Flinders Current in summer, ensuring there is a large difference between the seasons. This has a large impact on the biodiversity of the area.

High up on the granite outcrops, you’ll see White Breasted Sea Eagles hunting for supremacy with Ospreys, hear the conversational twitter of Parrots and marvel at the fabled Albatross. It’s a bird-lover’s paradise.

Opening hours

Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, access onto the islands is restricted, with a permit required to enter. Contact details

Visitor information, bookings and park management:

National Parks and Wildlife Service Office Phone: (+61 8) 8688 3111 Email: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

Port Lincoln Visitor Information Centre 3 Place, Port Lincoln Phone: 1300 788 378 Email: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) Visit Port Lincoln website (https://visitportlincoln.net.au/)

Emergency contacts:

Medical, fire (including bushfire) and police emergency situations Phone: Triple Zero - 000

Police Assistance Phone: 131 444 for non-urgent police assistance

National Parks and Wildlife Service SA – After-hours duty officer Phone: 08 8688 3223

Injured wildlife:

Within the park Please contact National Parks and Wildlife Service Port Lincoln Officeon (08) 8688 3111 or the after-hours duty officer on (08) 8688 3223

Outside of the park Please contact a local wildlife rescue group

Marine mammals If you find a sick or stranded marine mammal (including whales, seals, sea lions and dolphins), please contact National Parks and Wildlife Service Port Lincoln Office on (08) 8688 3111 or the after-hours duty officer on (08) 8688 3223

When to visit You can visit the islands all year round on a shark cage . Three tour operators are licenced to conduct tours in the park.

In good weather you can access the islands on your own, large, seaworthy, boat capable of off-shore operation as the islands are a considerable way offshore.

Getting there

The islands are only accessible by large boats.

The City of Port Lincoln is located approximately 70km to the north of the Neptune Islands and is easily accessed by air from Adelaide International Airport. Or you can drive from Adelaide to Port Lincoln which is approximately a 7.5 hour drive.

Facilities

There are no facilities in the park. Please ensure you carry sufficient water, food and supplies for your entire visit. It is also a good idea to let a responsible person know of your intended movements and when you expect to return.

Assistance dogs

Assistance dogs are permitted in most public places and are therefore welcome in ’s parks and reserves. Assistance dogs must be appropriately restrained on a lead and remain under your effective control at all times while in a park or reserve.

As per the dogs in parks and reserves policy, if the dog is not an accredited assistance dog, they must be trained to assist a person with a disability to alleviate that disability and meet standards of hygiene and behaviour appropriate for a dog in a public place. However, refusal may be given if the person with the disability is unable to produce evidence the dog is an assistance dog with the appropriate training.

Before taking your assistance dog into a park that does not normally allow dogs, it is highly recommended that you contact us so we can provide you with the latest information on any potential within specific parks that may affect your dog. Please contact the park via the contact details provided under the contact tab or contact the visitor service centre via email (https://www.parks.sa.gov.au/contact-us/get-in-touch-online) or on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/NPWSSA), or you can live chat with a customer service representative on the website Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.

Dogs not allowed Dogs are not permitted in this park.

Discover which parks you can walk your dog in on our find a park (https://www.parks.sa.gov.au/find-a-park) tool or read 12 dog-friendly walks in Adelaide Parks (http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/goodliving/posts/2017/12/dogs-part- 2) by Good Living for inspiration.

Plants and animals

Animals

High up on their granite outcrops, you’ll see White Breasted Sea Eagles hunting for supremacy with Ospreys, hear the conversational twitter of Rock Parrots and marvel at the fabled Albatross. It’s a bird-lover’s paradise.

The area is a spawning site for southern rock lobster, Maori , greenlip , blacklip abalone, purple sea urchin, western blue groper and sea sweep.

The islands are full of wonderful species of mammals, reptiles and birds; some of them peculiar to the Neptunes. One of the many highlights is watching the rare and elusive Australian Sea Lions interacting on the beach. Every turn, every direction, there is something new and unique to observe – baby fur seals learning to swim in rock pools set against the majestic Southern Ocean crashing into megalithic, granite outcrops.

And of course Great White Sharks!

Environmental considerations and important features:

• World renowned hot spot for the vulnerable white shark, who regularly forage in the area for seals. • The Neptune Islands are the most important long nose fur seal pup production site in South Australia (half of the Australian population breed here – distributed evenly over both main islands). • The area also has a small breeding colony of the vulnerable which feed in the waters surrounding the islands. • Seabirds whose habitats are required to be protected under international treaties roost and nest on the islands. • The area also provides breeding habitat for the , rare , rare sooty oystercatcher, rare Cape Barren goose, endangered white-bellied sea-eagle and endangered fairy tern. • The North Neptune Islands Sanctuary Zone represents an entire offshore island and its associated intertidal and subtidal habitats. Offshore islands are not represented well in sanctuary zones throughout the marine parks network, due to their importance as fishing grounds. • Habitat for the endangered coastal stingaree, which is endemic to South Australia. • The area is influenced by the warm Leeuwin Current in winter and the cold Flinders Current in summer, ensuring there is a large temperature difference between the seasons. This has a large impact on the biodiversity of the area. • Spawning for southern rock lobster, Maori octopus, greenlip abalone, blacklip abalone, purple sea urchin, western blue groper and sea sweep. • Nursery habitat for all these species except western blue groper.

Flora and fauna species lists

To download flora (plants) and fauna (animals) species lists for this park, use the 'Create Simple Species List' tab under 'Flora Tools' or 'Fauna Tools' in NatureMaps (https://data.environment.sa.gov.au/NatureMaps/Pages/default.aspx).

Useful information

All islands in the park are Prohibited Areas. No land access is allowed without permission. Please note north Neptune Island is a sanctuary zone, no fishing allowed.

Parks management plans (https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/topics/park-management/state-wide-park- strategies/park-management-plans) Trails SA (http://www.southaustraliantrails.com/) SA Marine Parks (https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/marineparks/home)

Important: Collection of firewood within National Parks is prohibited. Dead wood plays a vital role in providing shelter for animals and adding nutrients to the soil.

Traditional Owners

Aboriginal peoples have occupied, enjoyed and managed the lands and waters of this State for thousands of generations. For Aboriginal first nations, creation ancestors laid down the laws of the Country and bestowed a range of customary rights and obligations to the many Aboriginal Nations across our state.

There are many places across the State that have great spiritual significance to Aboriginal first nations. At some of these places Aboriginal cultural protocols, such as restricted access, are promoted and visitors are asked to respect the wishes of Traditional Owners.

In places where protocols are not promoted visitors are asked to show respect by not touching or removing anything, and make sure you take all your rubbish with you when you leave.

Aboriginal peoples continue to play an active role in caring for their Country, including in parks across South Australia.

DEW Park management (https://www.parks.sa.gov.au/park-management) DEW Aboriginal partnerships (%7Bentry%3A72029%3Aurl%7D/co-management-of-parks)

European history The Neptune Islands were named by English Explorer, in 1802. He named them this because they seemed so remote and inaccessible. Sailing by, he left their unique environment untouched. Over 200 years later, not much has changed. See and do

Bushwalking

There are no specific bushwalking trails within this park.

Shark

Take the plunge and come face to face with a !

Male Great Whites (up to 5-metres/16-feet) inhabit the islands all year round. Long nose fur seal pups are born in summer (December to January), but don’t start entering the ocean until winter (April to August). That’s when the giant female Great Whites (up to 6-metres/19-feet) come to the Neptune's. That extra metre almost doubles their body-.

There are several tour companies which offer shark diving expeditions to the Islands:

Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions (http://www.rodneyfox.com.au/) Calypso Star (http://sharkcagediving.com.au/)

Fishing

Fishing is allowed around the southern Neptune Islands. Fishing is prohibited within the Sanctuary Zone surrounding the northern Neptune Islands.

Neptune Island Group (Ron and ) Marine Park (http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/marineparks/find-a-park/eyre-peninsula/neptune-islands) Safety

Know before you go

Every national park is different, each has its own unique environment, it is important to be responsible while enjoying all the park has to offer.

Please ensure that you:

leave your pets at home do not feed birds or other animals, it promotes aggressive behaviour and an unbalanced ecology do not bring generators (except where permitted), chainsaws or firearms into the park leave the park as you found it - there are no bins in national parks, please come prepared to take your rubbish with you. abide by the road rules (maintain the speed limit) respect geological and heritage sites do not remove native plants are considerate of other park users.

Important: Collection of firewood within National Parks is prohibited. Dead wood plays a vital role in providing shelter for animals and adding nutrients to the soil.

Fire

Wood fires, solid fuel fires and gas or liquid fires are prohibited throughout the year to the low water mark. Maps Fees

Entry fees

When visiting on your own you can enjoy this park for free.

Parks pass

This park is not included in the park pass system.

Which parks are included in the park pass system? (https://www.parks.sa.gov.au/book-and-pay/parks-passes)