Eager to make the most of Australia’s whale watching season? There are plenty of places to meet these friendly ocean-goers through autumn, winter and spring.
It’s easy to see why these gentle giants are so intriguing. They’re the largest creatures that simmer below the sea, but their calm and friendly nature is unlike anything else. Many seem to love putting on a show, sending up a plume of water to startle relaxed passers-by and excite expectant onlookers.
One of the best things about whale watching in Australia: you don’t have to travel to remote locations to do it. In fact, some of the country’s top whale watching spots are right off the coast of major cities!
Read on to learn where — and when — to see whales around Australia.
1. Kiama, NSW
When: Late May to July, September to November
Most families head to this South Coast town for the famed Kiama Blowhole, but they should really time it to coincide with their visit with the annual humpback migration from May to November.
If you’re visiting Kiama in winter, you can head out on the water with local company Dolphin Watch Cruises. However, Kiama is also one of the top places to see whales from dry land. Set up a picnic at one of the vantage points on the Kiama Coast Walk, like Blowhole Point, Bombo Headland, Marsden Headland, the Minnamurra Whale-Watching Platform and Black Head Reserve. Oh, and keep your eyes peeled!
Where to stay
BIG4 Easts Beach Holiday Park in Kiama offers a variety of beachfront cabins and villas perfect for families. Watch for migrating whales from the balcony of a Beach Retreat or Seabreeze Villa, then stretch out and enjoy the spring sunshine while the kids play in the water park, which boasts slides, a giant tipping bucket and shaded toddler’s area. There’s also two outdoor playgrounds, an on-site cafe and a fabulous kids’ club.
2. Gold Coast, QLD
When: Late May to October
The Humpback Highway is in close proximity to the golden shores of the Gold Coast, so if you book a whale watching cruise it’s only 20 to 30 minutes before you’re watching whales play. Gold Coast whale watching tours depart from a range of locations, including Runaway Bay, Main Beach, The Spit and Surfers Paradise.
Thanks to the longest continuous whale-watching season in the country, sightings are consistent for around five months, from late May to October. Add a whale watching cruise to your theme park trip for the ultimate Gold Coast winter getaway—it’s not uncommon to see mothers with their adorable offspring as early as June!
Where to stay
Escape the everyday and experience “Winter with the Whales” from just $649 per family! Paradise Resort Gold Coast’s two-night package includes daily breakfast, a kids’ club session per child, unlimited waterpark time AND an incredible Gold Coast whale-watching cruise!
3. Sydney, NSW
When: May to November
Most Australians are in agreement that the Sydney Harbour backdrop is stunning. Add to that hundreds of playful whales and it becomes mind-blowing. Book a tour and sail under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, past the Opera House and out through the heads. Then, it’s a matter of waiting patiently for your first encounter.
On a good day, you’ll see humpbacks breaching against the Harbour City’s spectacular sandstone cliffs. You may also see southern right whales, orcas and minke whales, plus dolphins and New Zealand fur seals basking on rocks.
Younger aquatic enthusiasts will love the daytime tours run by Captain Cook Cruises. As well as providing full commentary with fascinating facts about the animals, Captain Cook Cruises also offers a whale watching guarantee, which means if you don’t see a whale, you can go on another cruise for free.
Whale Watching Sydney’s three-hour sunset cruise during the first two weeks of October takes small groups just off the coast to view whales as the sun goes down and there is even a professional photographer onboard to snap the perfect shots.
Book your experience: 2.5 hour Sydney whale watching cruise – sightings guaranteed!
4. Phillip Island, VIC
When: May to October
Victoria’s wildlife island, just two hours’ drive from Melbourne, makes a great whale watching base. Follow the Phillip Island and Bass Coast Whale Discovery Trail to spot the majestic creatures from dedicated viewing points along the coastline. The trail travels from Eagles Nest, between Cape Paterson and Inverloch on the mainland, to Cowes on Phillip Island, and leads to a range of coastal viewing points where interpretive signs give insights into the life of whales and their behaviours.
Sightings occur from May to October and peak from June to July, when there are frequent sightings of humpback whales, some southern right whales and even a few orcas.
The major lookouts are The Nobbies, Pyramid Rock and various sections around Cape Woolamai Beach. They can also be seen at the entrance to Western Port from places such as Grossard Point and Cowes Jetty. Sign up to the Wildlife Whales App to receive notifications and learn more about whales visiting the region.
To get even closer to the action, book a whale watching cruise with Wildlife Coast Cruises, an environmentally accredited boat tour operator which operates catamarans in the area. The Island Whale Festival, held from June to July, is a great time to visit, when a range of events are held to celebrate the migration and all things nature and wildlife. While you’re there, keep an eye out for Little Penguins, Australian fur seals, dolphins and birdlife such as the Wandering Albatross.
5. Hervey Bay
When: July to November
Each year thousands of whales hang out in Hervey Bay for up to two weeks at a time. Around two hours’ drive north of Noosa, the calm waters are sheltered by the offshore island of K’gari—the ideal spot for mamas teach their little ones all the skills they need for the long migration south.
The whales here tend to be quite curious, with more prolonged encounters than you may expect in other parts of the country. Seeing a newborn whale calf come right up to your boat, to get a closer look at its first humans, is an experience you are not likely to forget in a hurry. If you’re lucky, that’s the kind of thing that might just happen at Hervey Bay.
Hervey Bay also hosts an annual whale festival that includes a blessing of the fleet ceremony to mark the start of the season, a whale parade and paddle-out for whales. Nearby K’gari (formerly Fraser Island) is a great base for a whale-watching holiday, with the chance to view them from lookouts.
Book your experience: Take a whale watching day tour with Blue Dolphin
6. Head of Bight, SA
When: June to October
Located near the Nullarbor Plain, the Head of Bight is a bay on the Eyre Peninsula, around 3.5 to 4 hours from Ceduna. In June each year, southern right whales start to converge at the Head of Bight for the breeding season. By late August, you can spot the adorable little calves swimming beside their mothers! The view from the Bunda Cliffs is spectacular, with boardwalks taking visitors to two main viewing areas – one east and one west. The ramps are sloped for wheelchair and pram access.
7. Ningaloo, WA
When: June to October (humpbacks), March to October (whale sharks)
At Ningaloo Marine Park, off the coast of Exmouth and Coral Bay, not only can you see humpback whales, but you can also swim with them! Tours take place between July and October each year, when around 40,000 whales migrate along the coastline.
When you book a full day whale swim tour you’ll be given a safety briefing on the boat, before having the opportunity to snorkel on Ningaloo’s inner reef while spotter planes locate the whales. Most tours include two snorkels on the inner reef, where you can also see incredible coral and fish and, possibly, manta rays, dolphins and turtles.
Seven swimmers can enter the water at a time, accompanied by a divemaster as their guide, who ensures participants are a safe distance from the whales. The guide has an in-water radio to communicate with the boat, to be kept up to date with the exact location and movement of the whales.
If you have your head underwater while a humpback whale is ‘singing’ nearby, you’ll be able to hear it! Most operators also have a hydrophone (underwater microphone) on board, so you can also hear the whales singing from on board the boat.
Australia’s Coral Coast also boasts all of the ecology that whale sharks adore. Growing up to 16 metres in length, it’s a good thing the world’s largest fish have the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean to explore.
Book your experience: Get your Ningaloo ‘swim with whales’ package or go for a sunset whale watching cruise.
8. Warrnambool, VIC
When: May to September
Female southern right whales set up camp in the sheltered waters of Lady Bay, Warrnambool – along the famed Great Ocean Road – to give birth and raise their calves in an environment that becomes a protected playground. It’s best to watch them frolic from land, on the built-for-purpose Logan Beach Whale Watching Platform between the dunes.
9. Bruny Island, TAS
When: May to November (humpbacks), June to late October (southern right whales)
Over the past few years, humpbacks, southern right whales, killer whales and even blue whales have frolicked in the deep blue waters off Tasmania’s rugged southern coastline. Trying to spot them from land can be quite the challenge, which is why it’s a good thing that Pennicott Wilderness Journeys offers three-hour tours, departing twice daily from Adventure Bay.
10. Victor Harbor, SA
When: Late May to October
Every winter, Victor Harbor on the Southern Fleurieu Peninsula becomes home to pods of southern right whales. And since jet skis and the like are prohibited inside the Encounter Bay Restriction Zone during whale season, there are only two ways to see the majestic creatures: book a tour with a commercial operator such as The Big Duck Tours or go whale-watching on dry land. The best views can be seen from Encounter Marine Park and there are some truly awesome exhibits inside South Australian Whale Centre.
11. Port Stephens, NSW
When: May to November
It’s said that about 20,000 humpback whales pass Port Stephens between May and August each year on their northern migration, then back again between August and September. Base yourselves at The Anchorage – a four-star hotel right on the Marina, complete with a nanny service – then explore the headlands and outer islands on a three-hour whale-watching Moonshadow Cruises tour (morning or afternoon tea included).
Opening image: A whale breaching off the Gold Coast © Tourism and Events Queensland
Content contributors: Angela Saurine, Elisa Elwin
