Want To Go Whale Watching? Hervey Bay Is Australia’s Whale Watching Capital

The Humpback whale has chosen Hervey Bay as an ideal stopover on its migratory journey from the lush feeding grounds of the Antarctic to the warmer mating and breeding grounds of the Great Barrier Reef, each whale staying up to three weeks. Whale watching, Hervey Bay, first started on a commercial basis in 1987 and over time the town has become known as Australia’s whale watching capital.

Hervey Bay is just over three hours drive north of Brisbane and can also be accessed by rail and air . It is the name given both to the scenic, unspoilt coastal town and the protected body of water between the mainland and Fraser Island. Though Pilot and Minke whales are seen, it is predominantly large numbers of the approximately 3-4,000 Humpback whales that travel up the coast which are viewed – and of course visitors can enjoy spectacular dolphin watching year round.

Whale watching season Hervey Bay commences mid July and continues through to early November. There are several major cruise companies that have developed expert skills in taking visitors out to view the magnificent sight of a 15 metre, 40 tonne whale leaping, glistening, from the water before crashing back causing a massive plume of water to rise and cascade metres in the air. As the great Humpback roles over it almost seems its 10 metre long fin beckons watchers to come and play.

And possibly they do hope you’ll come and play, as frequently the whales will approach the boat gliding quietly almost within touching distance alongside or slipping quietly beneath the keel to emerge the other side. Considering the strength and power of these mammals, it makes these encounters so much more wonderful and enchanting.

To enhance this experience, selected cruises which only take out a small number of visitors, have installed glass bottom viewing windows to enable visitors to watch the whale’s ‘up-close’ passage beneath the boat, hydrophones to listen to the beautiful, hypnotic mating songs and underwater cameras that can view a whale kilometres away, even to the ocean floor.

Crewmembers of all major charter operations are chosen for their keen interest in whale watching and knowledge of the Humpback whale and are fully instructed in all legal and environmental issues governing whale watching Queensland. So you can be assured that your crew is committed to, and knowledgeable about, the whales of Hervey Bay.

Many of the charter boats go out twice daily for approximately 3-4 hours, have pram and wheelchair access, a number of good wide decks to maximise viewing opportunities and are luxuriously appointed. Accommodation/cruise packages are available to suit any budget.

When it comes to whale watching, Hervey Bay has a competitive industry, which ensures visitors enjoy the highest standards and most up to date viewing methods available.