Australia sits at the doorstep of the Southern Ocean, and that geographic luck translates directly into world-class pelagic birding. The continental shelf break off the southeast coast acts as a highway for albatrosses, petrels, and shearwaters moving between breeding colonies and feeding grounds. Up to 13 albatross species have been recorded in Australian waters. Nutrient-rich upwellings off Tasmania, South Australia, and Western Australia pull these birds close enough to reach on a day trip. Meanwhile, Queensland’s warm Coral Sea produces a completely different cast of tropical tubenoses that you won’t find anywhere else on the continent.
Here’s a look at the best pelagic birding trips in Australia, all of which are listed in our Australia directory.
Eaglehawk Neck, Tasmania
The Eaglehawk Neck Pelagic has a strong claim to being Australia’s finest pelagic trip. Boats depart from Pirates Bay on the Tasman Peninsula, passing the Hippolyte Rocks before heading east to the continental shelf edge, where chumming begins. The combination of deep Southern Ocean water and cool Tasman Sea currents concentrates seabirds in large numbers.
On a good winter day, you might log six or seven albatross species: Shy, Black-browed, Campbell, Grey-headed, Light-mantled, Indian Yellow-nosed, and Wandering (typically the Antipodean form). Southern and Northern Giant-Petrels are regulars. White-headed Petrel, Blue Petrel, Fairy Prion, and Common Diving-Petrel round out the smaller tubenoses. Wilson’s Storm-Petrel and Grey-backed Storm-Petrel feed in the chum slick. Summer trips shift the mix, bringing in Hutton’s, Buller’s, and Fluttering Shearwaters alongside the ever-present Short-tailed Shearwaters.
Inala Nature Tours runs these trips with experienced guides. The boat holds only 13 passengers, so book well ahead. Trips last around eight hours, and the Tasman Sea can be rough.
Sydney and Wollongong, New South Wales
The Sydney Pelagic departs from Sydney Harbour and heads east to the deep trench off the coast, where the warm East Australian Current meets cooler southern upwellings. This convergence zone is a magnet for seabirds, and the monthly trips run by Sydney Pelagics & Nature Watching Tours have built a strong following.
The star attraction here is the Providence Petrel, a bird that breeds only on Lord Howe Island and visits these waters primarily between April and October. Gould’s Petrel, another Australian breeding endemic, appears regularly too. Winter months (May to September) bring Black-browed, Shy, Campbell, and occasionally Wandering Albatrosses to the shelf waters. In summer, Wedge-tailed Shearwaters dominate, with Flesh-footed Shearwaters and White-faced Storm-Petrels mixed in.
Kiama, New South Wales
The Kiama Pelagic offers a second New South Wales option, run by the Southern Oceans Seabird Study Association (SOSSA). These trips head about 25 km offshore from Kiama to the continental shelf, targeting waters between 150 and 400 fathoms deep.
SOSSA’s trips double as research expeditions, with seabird banding providing data that supports Southern Ocean conservation. The species mix overlaps with the Sydney trips but can differ depending on current conditions. Wedge-tailed and Flesh-footed Shearwaters are common in warmer months. Winter brings albatrosses and the chance for Grey-faced Petrel or Buller’s Shearwater. These trips typically run on the last Saturday of the month and are priced lower than many Australian pelagics, making them a good entry point.
Southport Seamounts, Queensland
The Southport Seamounts Pelagic is something completely different. Departing from the Gold Coast, these trips target the Queensland Seamount about 100 nautical miles offshore in the warm Coral Sea. The seamount creates an upwelling that concentrates tropical pelagic species you simply can’t find further south.
Day trips produce Black-winged Petrel, White-necked Petrel, Gould’s Petrel, and Wedge-tailed Shearwater. But the real draw is the multi-day seamounts expeditions that venture to the Queensland and Britannia Seamounts. These longer voyages have recorded Kermadec Petrel (in dark, pale, and intermediate morphs), Tahiti Petrel, Collared Petrel, Band-rumped Storm-Petrel, and New Caledonian Storm-Petrel. Some of these records represent firsts or near-firsts for Australian waters. Paul Walbridge organises these trips, with day trips typically running on the third Saturday of each month.
Port MacDonnell, South Australia
Port MacDonnell Pelagic operates from South Australia’s Limestone Coast, heading about 30 km south-southwest to the shelf edge. The waters here sit where the cool Southern Ocean meets the warmer Great Australian Bight, and that temperature boundary generates strong seabird diversity.
Shy and Black-browed Albatrosses appear in good numbers. Grey-headed Albatross is a realistic target, and trips have recorded over a dozen Wandering-type albatrosses (including Gibson’s and Antipodean forms) on a single outing. Southern Giant-Petrel, Cape Petrel, Blue Petrel, and multiple prion species work the chum slick. Several shearwater species and storm-petrels add to the tally. Port MacDonnell Fishing Charters has operated here since 2000, offering both individual bookings and full vessel charter for groups of up to 12.
Bremer Canyon, Western Australia
The Bremer Canyon Pelagic targets a massive submarine canyon off Western Australia’s south coast near Bremer Bay. Naturaliste Charters runs dedicated birding departures each December into the canyon’s nutrient-rich upwelling waters.
The same deep-water productivity that draws over 100 Killer Whales to the canyon each summer also concentrates seabirds. Wandering, Gibson’s, Shy, Black-browed, and Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses all occur. Great-winged Petrel and White-chinned Petrel are regular, and Wilson’s and White-faced Storm-Petrels feed around the boat. Bremer Canyon is the only Australian pelagic location that semi-regularly records Barau’s Petrel, a species that breeds on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean. Past trips have also turned up Cory’s and Great Shearwaters, Cook’s and Pycroft’s Petrels, and even Chatham Albatross. Spaces are strictly limited, so plan ahead.
When to Go
Australian pelagic birding has two broad seasons, and they reward different interests.
Austral winter (May to September) is peak time for albatrosses and cold-water petrels. Subantarctic breeders move north into Australian shelf waters to feed, and species diversity on southern trips (Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia) hits its highest. This is also the best window for Providence Petrel off New South Wales.
Austral summer (October to April) shifts the balance. Wedge-tailed, Flesh-footed, and Short-tailed Shearwaters dominate the warmer months. The Queensland seamount trips run year-round but produce their best tropical species in the warmer season. Bremer Canyon trips run exclusively in December.
For the broadest species list, plan multiple trips across both seasons. Taking the same trip in winter and summer can yield surprisingly different bird lists.
Practical Tips
Seasickness: Australian pelagics cross open ocean, and conditions in the Southern Ocean and Tasman Sea can be punishing. Take medication the night before and again in the morning. Scopolamine patches work well for many people.
What to bring: Warm, waterproof layers even in summer. Spray jackets are essential. Sunscreen and a hat for calmer days. Bring your own food, water, and snacks as most trips don’t provide catering.
Optics: A 8x or 10x binocular is more useful than a scope on a moving boat. Waterproof models are worth the investment. Camera setups with 100-400mm lenses hit a good balance between reach and handling on a rocking deck.
Booking: Most Australian pelagics run on fixed monthly dates with small boats. The Eaglehawk Neck trip holds 13 passengers. Bremer Canyon runs only four days a year. Book early, especially for winter and the specialty trips.
Browse all Australian pelagic trips in our Australia directory, or check out individual trip pages for booking links, schedules, and eBird hotspot data.