Located at the top of the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, the City of Whyalla is known as the cuttlefish capital of the world.Each year, it is home to one of the largest underwater breeding aggregations of cuttlefish in the world. As such, the City has become a mecca for tourists, divers, underwater photographers, videographers and documentary makers.
Cuttlefish are marine animals, and despite their name they are molluscs, not fish. They have a shell, which is referred to as the cuttlebone, two tentacles, eight limbs and ‘W’ shaped pupils.
To further inform the swarms of visitors that come to see these cuttlefish, Council recently worked with other local stakeholders to install new interpretative cuttlefish signage at its two most popular diving spots.Three original signs, which were worn and showing their age, were replaced with four modern and highly informative signs.
The new signs feature local dive conditions, an image showing the makeup of cuttlefish, dive etiquette, and general information.All photos were supplied by local divers Andrew Hosking and Ron Hardman, who have taken a keen interest in underwater photography and have produced stunning photos that reflect the uniqueness of cuttlefish.
Provision of the signs was a joint project of the Whyalla Dive Club, Eyre Peninsula Natural Resources Management local officer Denise Sharp, and Council’s Waste Education Officer Gail Rostig.
“The signs stand out and are a significant improvement and addition to this amazingly exclusive area,” Gail Rostig said.”On a recent dive, I found the boardwalk area packed with more than 30 people – some preparing to dive, others just snorkelling and some reading up on information on the signs.
“The parking area was full and there was a queue for access to the gearing up area. Visitors on that day alone included students from Adelaide University undertaking their first cuttlefish dive, German tourists marvelling over the beauty of what lies beneath, two families from Adelaide who had made a special trip with their children to view cuttlefish, and a couple of marine biologists.
“It was heartening to see people genuinely excited about their trip to Whyalla and what is on offer through the experience of diving and swimming with Whyalla’s world famous cuttlefish.”
