EDEN, NSW

The history of this small town on the far south coast of New South Wales warrants a visit alone. In the 19th century, Eden was a thriving whaling town, though its success was not owed to the skills of the whalers alone. Legend has it that killer whales would knowingly assist in the hunt by coaxing passing humpbacks into Twofold Bay and into the path of local whalers, who would harvest them for oil and bone. Take a self-guided tour of the Killer Whale Trail to learn the story of the town’s whaling stations and Old Tom, a legendary killer whale. Thankfully this waterway, known as ‘Humpback Highway’, is safe from whalers these days, and between September and November these creatures can be spotted as thousands of them pass by on their way to Antarctica.