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Aquariums

Dolphin Discovery Centre

๐Ÿ“ Bunbury, WA

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โ˜…4.5(2,611 Google reviews)๐Ÿ‘ถAll ages

Non-profit marine centre at Koombana Bay offering free beach dolphin interactions with volunteer guides, seasonal swim-with-dolphins tours, and an aquarium with turtles, octopus, and hands-on displays for children.

โœ“ Wild dolphin interactionsโœ“ Swim-with-dolphins tourโœ“ Volunteer guidesโœ“ Marine aquariumโœ“ Conservation focusedโœ“ Koombana Bay

๐Ÿ† Family Action Verdict

Best for families with children who respond to genuine wildlife encounters rather than captive displays. The free morning beach interactions deliver close contact with wild dolphins at no cost. The swim tour is the deepest experience for older children and adults who are comfortable in open water.

โ„น๏ธ What to Know Before You Go

๐Ÿ’กArrive at the beach by the start of morning sessions for the best position during free interactions
โฐBook the swim-with-dolphins tour well in advance - seasonal availability is sparse
๐ŸŽŸ๏ธAll snorkelling equipment is included in the swim tour - no gear required
๐Ÿš—The aquarium is worth visiting independently - turtles, octopus, and hands-on displays hold children's attention

๐Ÿ’ฌ What Families Are Saying

View all reviews โ†’
4.5
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2,611 Google reviews

5โ˜…
1,782
4โ˜…
497
3โ˜…
197
2โ˜…
63
1โ˜…
72

G Reviews from Google

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Jay Doyle

8 months ago

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โ€œMagical. Koombana Bay, where the Centre is located, became my morning sanctuary during a holiday in Bunbury. I'd walk to the beach and sit on the sand from around 7am, and guaranteed each morning, a dolphin or two would show up. Mostly it was Cracker, a frequent visitor to the Centre where she would swim in close proximity to the visitors, under the supervision of the Centre's lovely volunteers. They swim very close to you. It's incredible. The Centre itself is very well designed and laid out, with interesting installations and aquariums, and educational resources. The shop is well stocked and the cafe is lovely too. If you're in the area, it's a no-brainer to stop by, but also worth travelling from further afield, for a truly unique experience while also supporting a project that is crucial for marine life and environmental stewardship. I'm travelling back to Bunbury soon, and I'll be heading back to Koombana Bay first chance I get!โ€

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Natalie Adams

9 months ago

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โ€œSwim with the Dolphins tour was absolutely amazing. Yvette and her wonderful team of volunteers gave us a life experience we could only dream of. The whole morning worked like clockwork. Yvette was very knowledgeable and knew just when we should enter and exit the water with the dolphins. The dolphins were all around us, below us and looking at us. The volunteers were also amazing and kept us safe and well looked after throughout the whole experience. We had well over an hour in the water with the dolphins very close to us. All equipment was provided and of a high-quality. This is a trip I can highly recommend.โ€

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Rebekah B

8 months ago

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โ€œIncredible!!! So happy I got to see cracker the dolphin so close at shore! Arrive at 8am out the front of the centre where volunteers guide you for the free interaction. The discovery centre also is informative with fish tanks with turtles, octopus, and some hands on displays for the kids. There is also a cafe. A great experience highly recomend.โ€

๐Ÿ“Š Commonly mentioned in Google reviews

Based on Google review tags

Dolphins

637 reviews

Friendly staff

272 reviews

Dolphin watching

176 reviews

Aquarium

134 reviews

Swimming with dolphins

115 reviews

Overview

The Dolphin Discovery Centre operates at Koombana Bay in Bunbury, where wild bottlenose dolphins including a regular named visitor called Cracker come to the beach voluntarily. Volunteer guides lead free morning interaction sessions from the shore. Swim-with-dolphins tours run seasonally and last over an hour with all equipment provided. The discovery centre aquarium features turtles, octopus, reef fish, and hands-on displays. Port and dolphin eco-cruises run from the adjacent harbour.

๐Ÿ• Opening Hours

Monday08:00-15:00
Tuesday08:00-15:00
Wednesday08:00-15:00
Thursday08:00-15:00
Friday08:00-15:00
Saturday08:00-15:00
Sunday08:00-15:00

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