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 Once
inhabited by the Thawa Aborigines, the early history of the bay is tied to our
early white settlement and the whaling industry. The twice annual migration of
whales (mainly the right whales) to and from the Antarctic waters meant the
whales passed Twofold Bay between May and November of each year. Beginning
around 1828, the whaling industry was established and by 1840, there were some
27 whaleboats operating from Twofold Bay. Competition soon decimated the whale
population, and by the 1860s there were only three operators left.
When the whaling era was at its peak, Eden gained some fame for a killer
whale pack whose leader was named by locals Old Tom. The locals became
familiar with all the whales in the pod, and all given their own names. What is
remarkable was that the whales actually helped the whalers by trapping their
victims in the confines of the bay. The killer whales hunted in packs, driving
the whales into the shallow water, and preventing their escape to deeper waters.
When whales were detected, the killer whales would travel to the whaling
station, make a great deal of noise, wait for the boats to launch, then lead
them to the trapped whales. The victim would then be dispatched by harpoon, and
the carcass would be left overnight, allowing the killer whales to feed on the
tongue and lips of the whales. Usually the following day, the remains of the
whale (the blubber), would be towed ashore for processing.
The town today is a prosperous sea port with a booming tourism sector.
Check out some of the listed travel guide attractions and visit the local tourist centre for additional information. For Eden accommodation
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