FAQ

No, we tailor our tours to the season to give the absolute best chance of great white success.

We run shorter tours (3-5 nights) that focus primarily on shark diving along with a sea lion swim/dive and a shore excursion, and we run longer expedition itineraries (up to 10 nights) to access availability for other underwater species, and to account for seasonal weather and shark activity.

You can:

• Fly direct from Adelaide
• Bus with Premier Stateliner
• Drive from Adelaide (7 hours, with scenic stops)

We use natural fish-based scent to attract sharks without deliberately feeding or harming them.

They’re home to Australia’s largest fur seal colony—a natural hunting ground for great whites

You can book with high confidence in peak seasons most years, although at other times of the year sightings can be more “hit or miss”. Please inquire for recent and forecasted activity trends.

Absolutely. Our cages are engineered for protection, and all dives are supervised by certified professionals.

Yes! Surface cage diving is open to everyone. No experience needed.

We have qualified dive professionals onboard who look after all our new surface cage diving guests. Our dive crew will ensure you are briefed and comfortable before getting in the cage. Plus, with our small guest numbers, there is no pre-determined time that you must get in the cage. Guests can relax, watch the sharks from the surface and then when YOU are ready, we’ll get you in the water. Surface cage time is unlimited and we look for all guests on-board to get fair and equal shark time. Our pricing also reflects your activities on-board, so you can join us as at a cheaper rate than the ‘ocean floor diver’ price.

You are very welcome to bring your own diving equipment but all diving needs for diving with the great whites can be hired onboard. This can be ordered at the time of booking.

The MV. Rodney Fox is a large comfortable 32m live-aboard expedition vessel with a tender vessel, sole occupancy, twin and tri-share cabins, hot showers and hearty meals.
Please note for the exception of the Master cabin the showers and bathrooms are shared with plenty available off the dive deck.

Is Smoking allowed on the boat?
Smoking is allowed in the designated outdoor area.

• Swimwear and warm clothing
• Own mask and snorkel
• Toiletries, medicines and sunscreen
• Camera and polarised sunglasses for spotting approaching sharks topside.
• Dive certification card (divers must show qualification to participate in the ocean floor cage dive)
• Card or cash for on boat purchases

What’s included?

• Accommodation and meals
• Scuba tanks and harness, weight belts and shark dives
• Guided experiences and onboard presentations.

What’s not included?

• Alcohol (available onboard) and some soft drinks and snacks.
• Flights and transport
• Travel insurance (recommended)
• Scuba & Wetsuit Hire
• Marine Park Fees
• Professional Photography – But we do encourage guest to share their photos via photo circle on each expedition.

Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions is required by the South Australian Government to hold a licence to operate at the Neptune Islands and to pay licence fees. These licence fees go towards research and ongoing management of white shark cage diving, including the monitoring of interactions of white sharks and tourism at the Neptune Islands. You can read more about the management of our industry on the Department of Environment’s website here.

We offer vehicle parking within a secure, lockable compound for $20.00 per day. The area is surrounded by a high security fence topped with barbed wire and is padlocked when not in use.

Please note: While we take reasonable steps to provide a secure area, all vehicles are parked strictly at the owner’s risk. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for loss, damage, theft, or injury that may occur to any vehicle, its contents, or persons entering the compound, regardless of cause. By choosing to park in this facility, you acknowledge and accept full responsibility for your vehicle and belongings.

Tipping is not expected in Australian hospitality. Then it is only reserved for those that provide exceptional personal service. As an indicator, for excellent restaurant service, tips of up to 10% are common and 5% in taxis . You should expect exceptional service from the Rodney Fox crew, day and night. At the end of the expedition whilst paying for any onboard expenses, such as bar tab or merchandise, a ‘tip jar’ is made available if you consider giving a cash tip. Cash is preferred however you can add a tip to your credit card. Tips are welcome and distributed evenly amongst crew.

Onboard WIFI is available on most days during our tours, however there is not always reliable phone reception available. In an emergency contact can be made

With our office in Australia on telephone: +61 8 83631788
Or email: expeditions@rodneyfox.com.au

We seldom have children onboard, however we do welcome families with children 8 years or older.
The minimum age for Surface cage diving is 8 years old and for SCUBA diving (10-12 year old Jr. Open Water certified divers – are considered, on application)
Parents or guardians traveling with children are responsible for child minding, and children less than 12 years of age cannot be left alone.

Yes—check our full Terms & Conditions for details. We strongly recommend travel insurance.

There’s no single “best” time — it depends on what you want to see and experience. Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions with over 60 years of cage-diving history and note that seasonal shark activity at the Neptune Islands (North and South groups) changes year to year and can be unpredictable. Andrew Fox, with 45 years of great-white diving experience.

Consider these factors when choosing a time:

• Sharkreliability and numbers (short- and long-term trends)
• Sharksize
• Weatherconditions and sea state
• Watertemperature
• Watervisibility

Every season has positives, and visiting at different times lets you experience the Neptune Islands’ varying seasonal moods. Keep in mind that exceptions and unpredictable variations occur — no two years are the same. Due to environmental variances, the last 2 years have shown to be the most unpredictable in our history.

Historically at the Neptune Islands, the most reliable shark sightings occur in:

• Summer:December– February
• Lateautumn to early winter: mid-April–early July
• Earlyspring:  mid-September–October

During these periods, tour success of seeing at least one great white shark typically averages over 90% in most years. Please note however that due to environmental variances, the last 2 years have shown to be the most unpredictable in our history.

If guests can book at short notice based on current trends, some other months of the year can often prove to be even better choices those times listed above. For example, while the months of March and November can be a little “hit or miss” based on historical trends, occasionally they also produce the most sharks seen in the year.  Please contact our office for updates on shark activity trends.

Early May through to August is a time that coincides with the world’s largest cuttlefish spawning phenomenon near Whyalla on the Eyre peninsula. This incredible location is a few hours’ drive by road from Port Lincoln and on some special extended itineraries, we specifically target this event with a group road trip or on special longer trips by Liveaboard. Peak diving conditions for this species is earlier extending from early May to Mid-July when the animals are still fresh and vibrant, and the water temperature has not bottomed out.

Our expedition vessel the 32m MV. Rodney Fox is a very large and stable, and comfortable sea boat built to handle the open ocean and travel safely between the sheltered anchorages of the Neptune Islands and the mainland. It is these 2-hour crossings on open seas that can be most challenging to people particularly sensitive to seasickness.

Although most sensitive people recover quickly once we get to our sheltered anchorages, we suggest that particularly sensitive people looking to choose a date between the generally fairer seas of October to April, which generally have the most favourable traveling weather of the year out to the Neptune Islands.

Another option (if you have the liberty and flexibility) is to look at long-range weather forecasts up to a week or more ahead of any tour date availability and book any positions available at short notice. A problem with this option is that many dates do tend to book out months in advance.

As the world pioneers of cage diving with great white sharks, Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions is proud of our unparralelled 60 year history of filming, research, diving and conservation of this magnificent and elusive species. We strive to acheive high success to deliver the ultimate shark experience throughout the year, however we can’t guarantee sharks will always be seen on every tour.

In the unusual event that sharks are not sighted on any tour, we offer you the following guarantee: If no sharks are sighted during your first expedition, each guest will receive a 50% credit voucher based on the value of their cabin cost*.  This credit can be applied to your next expedition date if booked within 2 years. In the unlikely event that there are no shark sightings recorded on your return expedition we will remain committed to giving you the best possible chances to see a shark and will work with you to explore other options to get you back onboard if you wish to try again.

* Price is based on cabin price and exclusive of extras such as SCUBA hire, marine park fees and wifi.

* All return tours are subject to availability and credit is not available on some special hosted tours or special itineraries unless approved by the office.

* All return vouchers are non-transferrable and cannot be redeemed for cash.

Private Group Charter Deposits are payable at the time of booking all deposits are non-refundable for change of mind or cancellations by you. If you have purchased Travel Insurance this may cover cancellation fees subject to policy terms and conditions.

At Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to experience the incredible marine wildlife of South Australia.
Our expeditions operate in a remote offshore environment and involve boarding and living aboard a working expedition vessel. While many guests with varying levels of mobility and experience successfully join our tours, some activities and vessel areas may present challenges.
If you have any mobility, medical, sensory, dietary or accessibility requirements, we encourage you to contact our team before booking so we can discuss your individual needs and determine whether our expeditions are suitable for you.
Our goal is to help every guest enjoy a safe, comfortable and memorable experience.

Port Lincoln offers beautiful beaches, wildlife encounters, fresh seafood experiences, coastal walks, national parks, fishing, shopping, and sightseeing. We recommend visiting the Visitor Information Centre when you arrive for local advice, maps, tour bookings, and the latest information on attractions throughout the Eyre Peninsula.
Visitor Information Centre: https://portlincoln.com.au/visitor-information-centre