New South Wales · Attraction
Davidson Whaling Station Historic Site
Australia's last working whaling station
schedule 1 min read / Updated Jun 2026
Set on the southern shore of Twofold Bay at Kiah Inlet, the Davidson Whaling Station is the most intact surviving shore-based whaling station in Australia. Operating from the 1860s until the final catch in 1929, it was here that the Davidson family and a famous pod of killer whales developed the cooperative hunting partnership that made Twofold Bay world-famous among naturalists and sailors.
The site centres on Loch Garra, an 1896 weatherboard homestead built by George Davidson above the tryworks where whale blubber was boiled down into oil. The buildings are heritage-listed and a step-free boardwalk connecting them allows close inspection of the tryworks furnace, the cottage, the detached kitchen, and the garden shed. Aboriginal middens on the property reflect Thaua people's long connection to the bay.
Old Tom, the killer whale whose skeleton is now displayed at the Eden Killer Whale Museum, was the leader of the orca pod that worked alongside the Davidsons for decades. The two sites together form a complete picture of the Twofold Bay whaling story. Guided tours run during the Eden Whale Festival and by arrangement for groups.
Access is via Edrom Road and then Boyd Road, approximately 35 kilometres by road south of Eden. Entry to the whaling station itself is free.
Where to stay
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Scenic views
Lookouts near Davidson Whaling Station Historic Site.
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