Tin Can Bay Dolphin Centre

Tin Can Bay Dolphin Centre, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

http://www.australianexplorer.com/tin_can_bay.htm

I wanted to see the dolphins being fed, so headed to Tin Can Bay in time for the feeding at 8am.
There was only one dolphin and with numerous tourists clamoring around to feed the one dolphin, I watched the pelican and explored the area while waiting for the 9am Cruise, which took me back to Rainbow Beach, but to the opposite side.
The trip was uneventful...more a ferry ride than a cruise, even though a commentary relayed what was around once we neared Rainbow Beach. The sea eagles came to be hand-fed, but they swooped so fast that I was unable to get any worthwhile photos. It rained most of the trip, which also did not help. It did not seem to affect the tourists as the little boat was chockfull on its return trip back to Rainbow Beach.


Tin Can Bay Tin Can Bay

Tin Can Bay is located on the Fraser Coast in Queensland, just north of Rainbow Beach. You can get to Tin Can Bay by heading East from Gympie. The attractive drive, passes plenty of fantastic landscape scenery along the way and so is worth the effort.

Tin Can Bay is a very pretty place, with its main attraction being the early morning dolphin feeding.

Dolphin Feeding, Tin Can Bay Tin Can Bay
Tin Can Bay is one of only three places around the whole of Australia, where you can officially hand feed dolphins in the wild.

If you are interested in feeding the dolphins you should head to Barnacles Bait and Cafe, which is located at the end of the Tin Can Bay Marina.

Barnacles Cafe is open from 7am each day, so arrive early, enjoy a coffee or snack and take in the views as the dolphins make their way in.

Feeding starts at about 8 am. The dolphins generally arrive quite early and depart soon after feeding, so please plan to arrive between 7.00am and 8.00am. As dolphins are wild animals these times can not be guaranteed but the earlier you arrive the more chance of success.
Tin Can Bay Dolphin Feeding, Tin Can Bay
Fish for feeding is available on site. As of 4th December 2009, fish for feeding is $5.00 per person to cover costs.
The dolphins that you will see at Tin Can Bay are Pacific Humpback Dolphins, which are slightly different in shape to the well known Bottlenose Dolphins.

Tin Can Bay Pacific Humpback Dolphin, Tin Can Bay

Due to the fact that the dolphins are wild, times cannot be guaranteed. It is worth arriving well before 8am to maximise your opportunity of feeding the dolphins.
There are a number of rules to abide by which the volunteers will explain. Only fish purchased at the site can be fed to the dolphins with a maximum of 3kg fed to each dolphin per day. Please no flash photography and only enter the water with a volunteer.

Tin Can Bay also offers dolphin cruises, allowing you to see the dolphins and the beautiful bay from the water, as well as deep sea fishing.