Hamelin Bay is one of the best places in Australia to spot wild sting rays up close. The gentle and friendly, yet completely wild sting ray population that live in the bay are unafraid of people wading in the water and swimming with them.

Throughout the day these sting rays make regular visits to the beach around the boat ramp and Old Jetty, patrolling past in groups of up to 10 or more (although usually around 3 to 5), in hope of being fed some fish scraps.

The amazing thing about the Hamelin Bay rays, which include some very big ones spanning over a metre across, is that once they notice you’re there, they swim right up to you and over your feet. Sometimes they’ll swim in so close to shore that they just about beach themselves!

The Hamelin Bay stingrays have very little fear of humans and actually seek out interaction with us as much as we do with them. That is why they’re so frequently spotted in the shallows around the boat ramp and Hamelin Bay jetty ruins where there are always people fishing and boats returning with a catch.

The sting rays are docile and curious creatures that will only become aggressive if they feel threatened. So don’t be alarmed if one swims up to you while you’re swimming, snorkeling or wading in the water. If you stand still and splash the surface of the water, one might swim right over your feet (no doubt hoping for a feed of fish).

All that being said, the fact remains that they’re wild animals with poisonous barbs in their tails, so do take care around them! In particular be careful not to accidentally step or fall on one.

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