The Port River is home to a resident pod of approximately 30 bottlenose dolphins that live year-round in one of the most industrialised harbours in South Australia. Dolphin-watching cruises operate regularly from Hart's Mill and the Fishermen's Wharf area, running 90-minute trips that routinely produce close encounters — the dolphins are accustomed to boats and often approach. Several operators run morning and afternoon departures daily in summer; check locally for current schedules.
The dolphins can also sometimes be spotted from the water's edge at Hart's Mill and along the Port River bank, particularly in the early morning. Their presence in such an industrial setting — surrounded by container cranes, dry docks, and working vessels — makes the encounter more, not less, remarkable.