To observe nature up close – to be immersed in it – is a rare and special thing. That feeling of being a part of the environment, rather than apart from it, is elemental and exhilarating. The Baird Bay Experience on the wild west coast of South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula takes this to a new level. To be in the bracing waters of Baird Bay while sea lions swirl and pirouette around you, to have the certainty that they are every bit as curious about you as you are of them, and to know that they are not just tolerating you but actually want to play is exceptional. It may be difficult to laugh out loud with joy through a snorkel while twisting upside down clumsily mimicking the effortless corkscrewing of a fully-grown sea lion, but be assured, it’s not impossible. In fact, it’s closer to impossible that you won’t be laughing and burbling with joy. Similarly, to have whole families of dolphins streaking above, below and around you as you step off the purpose-built dive boat and plunge beneath the surface is equally enthralling and invigorating.
Since it was established in 1992, Baird Bay Experience has been sharing this remarkable opportunity with guests from around the world. The bay itself lies 280km north-west of Port Lincoln. Its 3,800ha of relatively shallow water have for untold stretches of time provided shelter to an inspiring array of fauna and flora.
It is a subtle, powerful and fertile place. At its mouth is a seemingly nondescript island – Jones Island. It is here and in the surrounding shallows that you find the breeding colony of endangered Australian sea lions. Jones Island has been a protected area since 1967, and part of the Baird Bay Islands Conservation Park since 1972. This mantle helps ensure the survival of this beautiful mammal.
Today, Baird Bay Experience is under new management, and considerable expertise has gone into elevating the accommodation and integrating the popular sea lion tours into an all-encompassing offering. As well as the operating hub for stand-alone tours, there are two fully refurbished, self-contained, rammed-earth houses. One has three ensuited rooms and the other, four. These can be hired separately or together and provide the sort of stylish beachfront retreat that has you feeling like you’re staying in the home of relaxed, tasteful, well-off friends.
The Experience is hosted by Kat and Brendon Bevan. Both have extensive backgrounds in delivering high-end remote outdoor experiences. They have worked together in the Flinders Ranges and the Cobourg Peninsula in the Northern Territory. Kat – originally from Scotland – was a guide and host at Bamurru Plains in the Top End. Brendon spent years on safari in his native South Africa, working with some of the region’s best lodges.
The third main player in the Baird Bay Experience is chef Calvin Von Niebel, who was with Kat and Brendon in the Flinders. His culinary journey began at his grandmothers’ feet in Durban and went on to include more than a decade at the high end of the London dining scene. For Calvin, the food at Baird Bay is a distillation of all that he loves. “There’s a real provenance story here – the fact that you can catch and harvest food right at your doorstep and cook it on the beach is exceptional,” he says. Simplicity is key, but there is also a deep understanding of flavour, texture and technique that raises the practice of – for example – barbecuing a salmon over coals on the beach into something that is almost transcendent. Think pickled kelp-infused butter melted over potatoes that have been boiled in seawater complementing quandong-glazed fish accompanied by a green salad dressed with oil and dune-harvested herbs that together amplify the delicate, elegant, smoky, nuance of each mouthful.
“The bay’s absolutely full of Australian salmon and whiting,” Brendon enthuses. “People may look down on our salmon, but they’re a great eating fish when prepared properly, and as for catching them with a fly rod? It’s some of the best fishing I’ve ever done!”
“We’re absolutely in love with the diversity and strength of the environment here,” Kat says. “We layer that with the opportunity for guests to have their own private experiences: beach picnics with Calvin, hinterland walks with Brendon through subtle, beautiful heathland, fishing, exploring or just relaxing and dreaming. And then there are the sea lions and dolphins. It’s truly amazing.”
