The 12 best whale watching spots in Australia

Hervey Bay happens to be one of the most fantastic places in Australia to watch whales swim on by up (or down) the ‘Humpback Highway’. That’s the route they migrate along Australia’s coastline and Hervey Bay in particular is a popular place for humpback whales, particularly mothers and calves who love the sheltered waters. Instead of being on a mission for their food, whales check in and play around so book a day tour, head out on a boat and enjoy the whales breaching and surfacing all over the place.

Fun fact: Hervey Bay was crowned as the world’s first Whale Heritage Site in 2019. 

The marine life on this slice of the South Coast is abundant, so whether you’re whale watching or not, you’re bound to come by a pod or two of playful dolphins and a couple of seals as they chill around their breeding ground. There are heaps of tours that take you out on a boat to see the whales on the water, and Woebegone Freedive actually has a special license from the government to swim (eco-responsibly!) in the water with the whales. How’s that for up close and personal?

While many species from humpbacks to blue whales grace the waters in Albany (and can be spotted from the shore), the Western Australian town hasn't always been so whale-friendly. What used to be a whaling station back in the day has turned into a historic tourism site since it shut down in 1978. Albany’s Historic Whaling Station is heritage-listed and worth a visit to see Australia’s largest marine mammal skeleton display amongst a wealth of other marine information.

Tangalooma Island Resort, on Moreton Island, is no stranger to some once-in-a-lifetime marine experiences. You can snorkel shipwrecks, feed wild dolphins and jet out on the water to spot some whales. The resort reckons it’s actually the closest you can get to whales in Brisbane. You can book a whale watching cruise for the day, or supersize your experience and watch the whales from up high in a helicopter ride.

Forget about massive boats that chug on by with a mere glimpse of a whale on the horizon. The custom-made yellow boats at Bruny Island Cruises get you up and close to the action, including skirting around Bruny Island’s gorgeously rugged cliff edges. Whale watching in Tasmania is a fantastic way to up your chances of encountering the rare southern right whales. Did we also mention you’ll get to don an ultra-chic red spray suit while you’re wildlife observing?

Just like Jervis Bay, the Ningaloo Reef is one of the very few other places in Australia where you can swim with whales. The reef, just off the coast of Exmouth, acts as a rest stop for whales on their migratory journey so you’ve got a pretty good chance of getting in on some of the fun. Exmouth Dive and Whale Sharks keep track of what’s where with some friends in the sky scouting out whales from a plane. Your chances of a friendly encounter are looking pretty good.

Eden is well known for its killer whales. There’s a ‘Killer Whale Trail’ that drives you to five historical and equally gorgeous sites on the Sapphire Coast, including old whaling stations and lookouts. One of the stops is a whole museum dedicated to the marine animals. For those of you who brushed up on your marine knowledge, you’ll know that despite the name, killer whales aren’t actually whales – they’re a type of dolphin. But, where there’s smoke, there's fire and there are plenty of (actual) whales to see and learn about around town.

Coastal town Victor Harbour in South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula has been visited by whale lovers for ages because the whales love to stop by here and play around right near the coastline. Get out on the water with a spotting tour, or nestle amongst Encounter Bay’s cliff faces and watch from above. Like its southerly cousin Tasmania, Victor Harbour is just one of few locations at the bottom of Australia where you might get fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of the southern right whales as they’re breeding. Here, you’ll also find the South Australian Whale Centre if you want to geek out a little over the animal kingdom’s largest member.

Does it come as a surprise that one of the world's most well-known reefs and marine life hot spots is one of the best places to spot whales? The Whitsunday Islands scattered around the Great Barrier Reef mark the endpoint for the whales’ annual migratory path. It’s a fantastic spot for whale watching because the water is super warm and sheltered enough for the whales to pop by and play around here. Because of this, you’re more likely to catch whales from July to early October. 

Hark! What's that? If it's winter in Sydney and you're standing by the sea, it could very well be the gentle giants of the Big Blue popping up to say hello – and, y'know, breathe. In Sydney, May to November is your best bet to catch a glimpse of some humpback whales, as 20,000 of them make moves along the NSW coastline during the colder months. A popular attraction of is Palm Beach's Barrenjoey Lighthouse, a heritage-listed building that stands at 113 metres above sea level, and it's a perfect spot for spotting whales. Other popular spots include The Gap in South Head, Manly; Cape Solander in Kamay Botany Bay National Park, Kurnell; and anywhere along the 26-kilometre coastal walking trail in the Royal National Park.

After visiting Phillip Island’s famous fairy penguins, stick around and see if you can spot a whale. From Phillip Island it’s possible to see humpback and southern right whales – updates on where whales have recently been spotted can be found by checking out the Phillip Island Whale Watchers group or by following the Two Bays Whale Project Facebook page. Top whale spotting sites on the island include Cape Woolamai, Pyramid Rock, Surf Beach and the Nobbies and Summerlands areas.