Whale Watching in Hervey Bay
Luckily for anyone who loves whale watching, Hervey Bay is one of the best spots to get up close and personal with these amazing creatures. This is because the whales come to the shores of the bay to feed. This makes it a prime time for visitors to come to Hervey Bay and take part in whale watching tours.
Humpback whales
Located near Fraser Island, Hervey Bay is known as one of the best whale watching locations in the world. It is also one of the safest swimming areas in Queensland.
The best whale watching season in Hervey Bay runs from July through November. It is estimated that more than 1000 humpback whales make the journey to the bay during this period. The whales are generally found between the bay and Fraser Island.
Whale watching tours are a popular tourist activity. Most tours operate between the end of August and the end of October. However, there are a few companies that start their tours in July.
There is also a whale watching festival held in July and August. This festival is a celebration of the whales that make their way to Hervey Bay and the Great Sandy Strait. These whales give spectacular shows in these sheltered waters.
For example, the Whale Watching Hervey Bay Cruises offer three tours per day. The tours are guided by marine biologists and expert naturalists. Ticket sales support marine research.
There are also plenty of other whale watching attractions in the area. In fact, the humpback whale is the first whale to be recognized as a ‘Whale Heritage Site’. The best way to see the humpback is to book a whale watching tour.
Humpback whale tours
Visiting Hervey Bay to enjoy humpback whale tours is an awesome way to experience this amazing marine life. These whales migrate over 5,000 kilometers each year from Antarctica to the tropics. These giants weigh 30 to 40 tonnes and are naturally curious marine animals. They love to swim and splash around.
Hervey Bay is one of the few locations in the world where you can get up close and personal with these magnificent marine mammals. Depending on your budget, you can choose from many different options. If you want a more comprehensive experience, you can choose to upgrade to a Humpback whale tour.
If you are looking for the ultimate whale watching experience, you can also opt to snorkel with Humpback whales. The Blue Dolphin Team offers a luxury catamaran for this experience. Owned by Peter and Jodie Lynch, this company is committed to eco tourism.
Spirit of Hervey Bay whale watching tours is a reputable whale-watching company with many ways to see these gentle giants. They have 6 different viewing decks, and have an underwater viewing room.
Whale Watching Hervey Bay Cruises also offers a Humpback whale tour. They have an expert naturalist guide onboard. They also offer a buffet lunch, along with free beverages. They also offer courtesy pickup and drop off.
Humpback whale layovers elsewhere on the Queensland coast
During the southern migration, groups of humpback whales arrive at the southern Great Barrier Reef near mid-June, and then move on to more distant parts of the reef. This stopover provides an opportunity to see mothers with newborn calves, or to watch humpback whales in the water.
The whales travel at different speeds, and they can be seen in groups or traveling alone. Observations from the southern migration can be used to estimate the size of the humpback whale population in the east Australian region. The number of whales estimated in 1999 was 3,600, and the stock was recovering at an estimated rate of 10.9% annually.
The humpback whale season runs from June to November. It is a very popular tourist activity, generating over 2.1 billion dollars annually.
The whales are considered friendly, and they can be observed on the water or from a boat. There are several cities that offer tours. These tours offer the chance to watch the whales as they come close to the boats. If you are lucky, you may even be able to swim with them!
The humpback whales in the eastern Australian region are part of a larger stock known as Breeding Stock E-1. It is believed that they originate from the calving ground on the Antarctic continent, and then travel northward into the sub-tropical waters of Australia, before returning to the calving ground in northern Australia.