To fully appreciate the whales that return to Encounter Bay each winter, it helps to understand what these waters once held. Whaling was the economic foundation of Victor Harbor in the 1800s — and the National Trust Museum's whaling display tells that story with honesty and depth.

The exhibit traces the lives of the men who hunted Southern Right Whales in these very waters, the tools and techniques of the industry, and the profound impact it had on the region's environment and community. It is a chapter of local history that is both fascinating and confronting — and one that makes the recovery of Southern Right Whales, and their annual return to Encounter Bay, all the more remarkable.

Open Wednesday to Monday throughout June, the Victor Harbor National Trust Museum is a quietly essential stop on any Winter Whale Fest visit — offering a deeper understanding of the relationship between this coast and the creatures that have always defined it.

A small admission fee applies.