Boyds Tower

Type

Historic buildings/places

Where

Boyds Tower Road, Edrom, NSW, 2551 - in Green Cape area in Beowa National Park in South Coast

Accessibility

Easy

Entry fees

$8 per vehicle per day in the Green Cape area of the park (south of Eden).

What to
bring

Binoculars, clothes for all weather conditions, hat, sturdy shoes, sunscreen, drinking water

Benjamin Boyd built Boyds Tower of expensive Pyrmont sandstone as a symbol of his power, intending it to be a lighthouse but the government did not approve. Boyd went bankrupt soon after and fled to California, abandoning his debts and workers.

The tower became a whale spotting platform for the whaling industry until the 1920s, then fell into disuse with the internal stairs and flooring now rotted away. You can see where the tower was struck by lightning and Boyd’s name inscribed on the parapet.

Take the wheelchair-accessible boardwalk to the lookout for beautiful views of Twofold Bay and its red cliffs. Remember your binoculars as you can see humpback and southern right whales on their migration between April and November. Commercial whaling nearly killed them all—now an estimated 50,000 swim past each season due to conservation efforts. You might also spot dolphins, fur seals and even little penguins.

If historic buildings are your thing, drive to nearby Davidson Whaling Station or Green Cape Lighthouse.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info