Whale Watching in Hervey Bay

Join us from mid-July until October

Many describe coming face-to-face for the first time with these graceful 40-tonne giants as a spiritual experience. Because they are relaxed (and not migrating), the whales are just as interested in ‘people watching’ as we are whale watching – sometimes spending hours eyeballing, slapping, spy-hopping and breaching within arms length of the boats.

Hop on board and join our fleet of specially designed vessels this winter, and see what all the fuss is about. Our fleet offers eco-certified encounters, departing daily from Hervey Bay’s Great Sandy Straits Marina between July and October each year, respectfully observing the thousands of east coast humpback whales in the protected waters of our marine park, in the lee of K’gari (Fraser Island).

Eco-experiences range from intimate all-day sailing expeditions, to half-day trips catered for all ages and abilities. From underwater viewing rooms, to hydraulic lift platforms with optional whale immersion excursions, our dedicated crew is there to help you experience these magnificent creatures in the best (and safest) ways possible.

Devoted to sustainable whale watching practices, our experienced and passionate fleet operates together as one big team. Respectfully abiding by the highest industry standards and regulations, Hervey Bay’s fleet is there to get you to the heart of the action – and ensure you have a whale of a day out on the water.

Hervey Bay Fun Facts

Nala the Whale

One of Hervey Bay’s most well-studied and loved whales, Nala, is what researchers call a ‘tail-up feeder’. First spotted in the bay in 1992, Nala nurses her calves by resting vertically (most rest horizontally) in the water. She even has a statue dedicated to her at the Fraser Coast Bay Discovery Sphere.

Sheltered and calm

Hervey Bay, with its sheltered, shallow and calm waters at depths of only 20-25 meters, is the perfect place for humpbacks to get quality R & R before their long journey back to the southern feeding grounds in the Antarctic. Research has shown Hervey Bay is the place along the east coast of Australia where the whales deliberately choose to stopover.

Swim with the whales

In 2017, Hervey Bay introduced its whale immersion (swim) program, one of few places in Australia where guests have the unique opportunity to get much closer to these gentle giants. With several whale fleet operators offering swim-with experiences in the right conditions, guests now have the chance to truly see eye-to-eye with humpback whales in their own environment.

More than humpbacks

Hervey Bay is most famous for humpbacks, but they are not the only whale species that frequent our waters. Southern right whales, minke and dwarf minke whales, pilot whales, melon-headed whales, sperm whales and even orcas have all been sighted in the area on occasion.

Australia’s first whale watching destination

From 1986, Hervey Bay was the first location in Australia to offer commercial whale watching boat tours. Local operators were instrumental in the humpback recovery campaign post-whaling, establishing the then Hervey Bay Marine Park in 1989, and setting up a sustainable code of conduct for whale-human interactions – which has since been replicated around the globe.

Migaloo the Whale

Migaloo, fondly known as ‘white fella’, was first documented in Hervey Bay back in 1992, then again in 1993. The albino, adult male humpback whale, was thought to be born in the late 1980’s making him approximately 30 years old.
Image: @craigparryphotography