What is the Eden Killer Whale Museum?
The Eden Killer Whale Museum is a regional museum in Eden, New South Wales that tells one of the most extraordinary stories of human-animal cooperation ever documented. Established in 1931 and overlooking Twofold Bay, the museum was originally built to house the skeleton of Old Tom — a legendary orca who led a pod of killer whales that actively cooperated with human whalers from the early 1800s through to 1930.
This unique relationship, unrecorded anywhere else in the world, saw wild killer whales herding baleen whales towards shore-based whalers, then receiving the lips and tongues as payment once the whale was caught. The whalers called them the “sheepdogs of the sea.”
Today, the museum houses between 5,000 and 10,000 artefacts covering Eden’s whaling industry, maritime history, timber industry (the other major local industry), fishing, and local social history. The resident orca pods once numbered up to 50 individuals, many known by name: Stranger, Hooky, Big Ben, Little Jack, and of course Old Tom. Sadly, Eden’s orca population no longer exists.
The museum sits on Yuin Nation land, and acknowledges the Traditional Custodians who have lived on this coast for thousands of years.
What to see at the Eden Killer Whale Museum
Old Tom’s skeleton
The spectacular centrepiece is Old Tom’s skeleton — 6.7 metres long, with a 1.73-metre dorsal fin and 1.37-metre side fins. Old Tom was the leader of one of the killer whale pods that hunted cooperatively with Eden’s shore-based whalers for decades. He died in 1929, possibly from complications after losing teeth during an incident with whaler John Logan, who controversially tried to take a humpback without leaving the customary lips and tongue for the orcas. Old Tom grabbed the tow-rope in defiance, lost teeth in the struggle, and later washed up dead with his mouth riddled with abscesses around the lost teeth. The incident prompted George Davidson to lobby for laws protecting the killer whales, though none were forthcoming.
Whaling industry exhibits
The museum’s prime theme is the shore-based whaling industry that operated in Eden from the early 1800s through to 1930. You’ll see whaling boats (remarkably small considering what they hunted), weapons including harpoons, equipment, photographs, and detailed explanations of the unique killer whale cooperation. The old saying comes to mind: “boats were made of wood and men were made of steel.” Looking at the size of the vessels and the weapons they used makes you realise just how dangerous this work was.
Maritime and fishing collections
The museum displays maritime artefacts including shipwreck relics from the Ly-ee Moon (wrecked 1886), navigational equipment, ship logs, and fishing gear. One particularly interesting exhibit shows a tuna poling machine — two were installed on the Imlay in 1974, capable of catching fish in the 30 to 40 kilo range. Unlike men, the machines didn’t suffer from fatigue, didn’t need feeding, and were always on deck when needed. Though on smaller tuna (10 to 15 kilos), a skilled man could outpace the machine.
Timber industry displays
Eden’s other major historical industry — timber — is well represented with logging equipment, photographs, and stories from the district’s forestry days.
Natural history specimens
The museum houses a impressive Mako shark replica (from a female caught near Boyds Tower in 1995), Sperm Whale skull, Blue Whale jawbones, minerals, and fossils. The Mako replica is 6.7 metres long with a 1.52-metre width and 1.73-metre dorsal fin — the feared and respected Mako is widespread in Australian waters.
Aboriginal section and local history
Exhibits cover Aboriginal history, local social history, domestic items, and even the Eden Killer Whales football (soccer) club, which explains the club’s black and white colours — not hard to guess where that inspiration came from.
Viewing platform and whale sightings
The museum overlooks the north arm of Twofold Bay with magnificent views from the deck. Between August and November, you can often spot migrating humpback whales from the viewing platform, along with dolphins and seals year-round. The museum even sounds a siren to alert visitors when whales are sighted in Twofold Bay — it’s genuinely exciting when it happens.
Visiting Eden Killer Whale Museum: practical information
Eden Killer Whale Museum opening hours and admission
Opening hours:
- Monday to Saturday: 9.15am to 3.45pm.
- Sunday: 10.15am to 2.45pm.
- Extended hours during school holidays.
- Closed Christmas Day.
Check the museum website for any unexpected closures.
Admission:
- Adults: $15.
- Children (5 to 15 years): $5.
- Children (under 5 years): FREE.
- Group bookings (15+ people): 10% discount.
- Annual tickets: Adults $30, Children $10.
Getting to Eden Killer Whale Museum
Address: 184 Imlay Street, Eden, NSW 2551
From Sydney: Approximately 475km south (6 hours’ drive via Princes Highway).
From Canberra: Approximately 320km southeast (3.5 to 4 hours).
From Melbourne: Approximately 500km northeast (6 hours).
Parking: Car park and coach parking available on site.
Eden Killer Whale Museum accessibility
A 2022 renovation made the Eden Kliller Museum much more accessible than it was, with a lift now linking all three levels for wheelchair users.
Facilities at Eden Killer Whale Museum
- Gift shop with museum-inspired gifts, souvenirs, books, apparel, and DVDs (my daughters got some adorably cute T-shirts here).
- Theatrette for films and presentations.
- Library and research centre with maritime and local history materials (documents, photographs, maps, books, local newspapers, land records, cemetery records).
- Baby change facilities.
- Conference/convention facilities available.
How long to spend at the museum
Quick visit: 1 to 2 hours to see main exhibits. Recommended: 2 to 3 hours to properly explore collections and enjoy the viewing platform. Thorough visit: 3 to 4 hours including research centre and films.
Most visitors spend 2 to 3 hours — it’s surprisingly comprehensive for a regional museum.
Best time to visit Eden Killer Whale Museum
Whale watching season (August to November): Humpback whales migrate close to the coast, making this the most exciting time to visit. The museum’s viewing platform becomes a prime whale-watching spot, and the siren alerts when whales are sighted.
Eden Whale Festival (early October): Annual festival with special events, guided tours to Davidson Whaling Station, and whale-watching tours.
Year-round: The museum is excellent any time, though whale-watching season adds special dimension to understanding the historical whale-human relationship.
The Killer Whale Trail
Combine your museum visit with the self-drive Killer Whale Trail — five historical sites around Twofold Bay set in breathtaking natural surrounds. The trail includes interpretive signs with QR codes for historical photos, videos, and audio. Sites include Davidson Whaling Station (40km south of Eden in Beowa National Park), where the Davidson family operated Australia’s longest-running shore-based whaling station for three generations.
Nearby attractions to Eden Killer Whale Museum
Eden is located on NSW’s Sapphire Coast with exceptional coastal attractions:
- Twofold Bay: Beautiful bay immediately adjacent — swimming, fishing, kayaking, and whale watching during migration season.
- Davidson Whaling Station: 40km south in Beowa National Park — the Davidson family homestead (Loch Garra) and try works preserved on the beach. Guided tours available during whale festival and by arrangement.
- Boyds Tower: Historic lighthouse lookout within Ben Boyd National Park — excellent whale-watching location.
- Green Cape Lighthouse: South of Eden — guided tours available, spectacular coastal views.
- Killer Whale Trail: Self-drive trail connecting five historical whaling sites around Twofold Bay.
- Beowa National Park: Surrounds Eden on both sides — walking trails, beaches, coastal scenery, camping.
- Sapphire Coast beaches: Eden Beach, Aslings Beach, Quarantine Bay — excellent swimming and surfing.
- Merimbula: 20km north — larger coastal town with lake, restaurants, and beaches.
- Pambula: 15km north — historic village with excellent fish and chips.
Dining near Eden Killer Whale Museum
Eden is a small working fishing town with decent dining options:
- Eden Fishermen’s Club: Bistro with water views.
- Various fish and chips shops: Eden is a fishing port — fresh seafood is the way to go.
- The Great Southern Hotel: Pub meals.
Tips for visiting Eden Killer Whale Museum
- Visit during whale-watching season (August to November) for the full experience — hearing the siren alert and seeing whales from the viewing platform adds genuine excitement.
- Allow 2 to 3 hours minimum — it’s more comprehensive than you’d expect from a regional museum.
- Check if guided talks are scheduled — volunteers are knowledgeable and passionate about the history.
- Drive the Killer Whale Trail after your museum visit to see where the whaling actually occurred.
- Bring binoculars during whale season — the viewing platform is excellent for spotting migrating humpbacks.
- Visit the research centre if you’re interested in local family history or maritime research.
- The museum hosts special exhibitions and events — check the website for current displays.
- Combine with Ben Boyd National Park for excellent coastal walks and whale-watching vantage points.
- Don’t rush — the story of Old Tom and the killer whales deserves proper attention.
Why visit Eden Killer Whale Museum?
The Eden Killer Whale Museum tells a genuinely extraordinary story. The documented cooperation between wild killer whales and human whalers — with orcas actively herding baleen whales towards shore, then waiting to receive their payment of lips and tongues — is unrecorded anywhere else on Earth. It challenges our assumptions about human-animal relationships and suggests far more complex interspecies cooperation than we typically acknowledge.
Old Tom’s skeleton is moving when you understand the context. This wasn’t some performing animal or captive specimen — this was a wild apex predator who chose to work cooperatively with humans for decades, leading his pod in what was essentially a hunting partnership. The tragedy of his death (possibly caused by a whaler breaking the cooperative agreement) and the subsequent extinction of Twofold Bay’s orca population adds genuine poignancy to the story.
For a regional museum, the quality and breadth of collections are impressive. The 5,000 to 10,000 artefacts cover not just whaling but Eden’s complete maritime and social history. The timber industry exhibits, fishing displays, and local history sections provide excellent context for understanding this working coastal community.
The viewing platform during whale-watching season transforms the museum from interesting to genuinely exciting. Watching humpback whales migrate through Twofold Bay whilst learning about the historical killer whale cooperation creates a powerful connection between past and present.
At $15 admission ($5 for kids), it represents exceptional value — you’re getting world-class natural history content, unique maritime heritage, comprehensive local history, and potential live whale watching. The museum successfully balances education with accessibility, making complex ecological and historical relationships comprehensible without dumbing down the content.
This is one of those regional treasures that deserves far more recognition than it receives. The story it tells — of cooperation, conflict, extinction, and the complex relationships between humans and the natural world — resonates far beyond Eden’s shores.
More New South Wales travel
Other New South Wales travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
- Planning a visit to the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour.
- How to visit Fitzroy Falls in the Southern Highlands.
- What to expect at the Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary on the Central Coast.
- First time visitors’ guide to Symbio Wildlife Park near Wollongong.
- What first time visitors can expect at the Hunter Valley Wildlife Park.
