The Whyalla Maritime Museum, situated in the Whyalla Region of South Australia, is a popular destination for maritime enthusiasts and history aficionados. At the museum, visitors can explore the former HMAS Whyalla, the inaugural ship constructed in the Whyalla Shipyards in 1941, now elevated 2 meters off the ground and 2km from the sea.
Within the museum's premises, a diverse collection of artifacts and memorabilia awaits, such as the World War II Gallery that chronicles the history of the four wartime corvettes from Whyalla. The BHP Shipbuilding Gallery showcases the range of vessels built in the shipyards post-1940, while the Natural History Gallery highlights the Gulf's marine diversity, including various sea creatures like sharks, stingrays, and octopuses.
Visitors can also enjoy viewing one of the largest HO gauge model railways in the Southern Hemisphere at the museum. To access the HMAS Whyalla, guided tours are mandatory, and advance bookings are necessary, with closed-in footwear required. Operating hours for the Whyalla Maritime Museum are from 10 am to 4 pm daily, excluding Good Friday and Christmas Day, with ship tours conducted at 11:30 am and 1:30 pm each day.