Where to go whale watching in Queensland

Hervey Bay is the home of whale watching in Queensland, and the world’s first official Whale Heritage site which sets the benchmark for whale watching across the globe.

It’s not marketing spin, it’s scientific. These calm and safe waters are where around 7,000 humpback whales and their new calves choose to stop over to rest and play. In fact, nowhere else in the world have scientists recorded whales stopping their migration to aggregate and socialise together.

The abundance of whale activity gives these operators confidence to promise guaranteed sightings in whale season, all in Hervey Bay’s calm, sheltered waters.

With so many whale watching options here, it’s important you choose the right tour for you. Do you prefer an intimate experience? Blue Dolphin Marine Tours specialise in small, personalised full-day tours. Are you after an action-packed half-day tour? Take a look at Tasman Venture Whale Watching. Bringing the kids? Spirit of Hervey Bay has fantastic underwater viewing rooms.

Freedom Ecotours Hervey Bay (main image) runs relaxed, premium 3/4-day cruises with expert commentary, guaranteed whale sightings and unforgettable close encounters.

Whalesong Cruises is an accredited wheelchair-accessible and mobility-friendly whale watching cruise in Hervey Bay, and can accommodate travellers with low-vision, sensory and cognitive needs. NDIS participants and their carer/s can also sign up for a 'Crew for a Day' program for an interactive day out.

Want to swim with the whales? You better believe you can do it here – join Hervey Bay Dive Centre for a day to remember.

Best time to go: August – October. Take a scenic road trip from Brisbane to get here, or fly into Hervey Bay Airport. 

The good thing about the humpback whale migration is that they like to pay a visit to the entire coastline – and it all starts with the Gold Coast.

From Coolangatta to Surfers Paradise, our southern coastal city welcomes the first pods and is the best place to watch them at the start and end of the season as they make the way back to Antarctica. On arrival and on a mission to swim north to their breeding grounds, scientists record plenty of aerial acrobatics as bulls show off with male bravado in these parts.

Join Whales in Paradise for a half day whale watching tour to catch the action, with the option of a morning or afternoon tour departing from the heart of Surfers Paradise. Don’t see a whale? No worries, Whales in Paradise happily offers a whale sighting guarantee and will take you out again.

Sea World Cruises offers 2.5hour whale watching tours, departing up to six times per day between June and November. 

Best time to go: June - November

Brisbane

As the migration moves north, Queensland's capital gets in on the humpback action.

These marine giants come close to Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island), making land-based whale watching from the lookouts possible. Wander along Gorge Walk to find a spot on the cliffs and a pair of binoculars is all you’ll need for a sighting.

For a close up, join a local tour. Cruise out into Moreton Bay with Brisbane Whale Watching, a purpose built whale watching vessel that departs daily from Redcliffe Jetty (hotel transfers from Brisbane and Sunshine Coast are available). Or, join Tangalooma Whale Watching Cruises - departing Brisbane or Tangalooma Resort on Mulgumpin (Moreton Island). 

You're sure to learn a thing or two about humpback whales while cruising, but here are some mind-bending facts to get you started.

Best time to go: June – November

Humpback whales might be marathon swimmers, but they are not sprinters, clocking up a leisurely 5-15 km/hour on their migration north. You can be certain that once they’re spotted on the Gold Coast and Brisbane, their next stop in their migration is the Sunshine Coast.

Hop aboard Sunreef Mooloolaba, and you'll not only witness the magic from the surface but also have the option to swim with the whales and listen to them by using hydrophones during their dusk Tallo Billa experience. 

Looking for a more intimate, educational encounter? Join a boutique swim experience with The Pressure Project and learn best practice for snorkelling, read whale body language, and connect with the ocean like never before — all guided by their expert crew.

Keen to stay on the surface? Paddle quietly alongside the whales on a low-impact ocean kayaking with Epic Ocean Adventures for an up-close encounter minus the engine noise. You can even scuba dive and listen to the whales sing with Blue Tortuga Adventures. Prefer to stay dry? Spot these gentle giants in style on a luxe cruise with Cavalier, or join a small-group adventure with Noosa Thriller or Adventure Rafting Mooloolaba. Whales, views, and wild stories guaranteed. 

Best time to go: June to November

Southern Great Barrier Reef

The Southern Great Barrier Reef is no stranger to curious and fascinating marine life, and depending on the season you may see manta rays and turtles nesting and hatching, among much more. 

Jump onboard Lady Musgrave Experience for a whale watching tour that departs Bundaberg between July - October. You can even combine your whale watching cruise with a trip Lady Musgrave's pontoon to snorkel with turtles, rays and a myriad of colourful coral and reef fish.

Keep an eye out for whales when you are transferring by boat over to both Heron Island and Lady Musgrave Island. Or, get an aerial view of the migration on the scenic flight over to Lady Elliot Island whose whale sightings are well documented.

Best time to go: July to September

The Whitsundays

Who could blame the humpback whales for choosing the warm Whitsundays waters to end their annual migration?

This tropical destination is the whole reason for their 5000km migration, offering Mother Nature’s nursery with cosy waters and protection from 74 islands and the Great Barrier Reef. It’s here that female whales give birth, and some lucky whale watchers get the chance to watch a whale birth firsthand.

Whitsunday Paradise Explorer offers whale watching tours that depart from Bowen Marina and cruise out toward Gloucester and Middle Islands during migration season.

You could even skipper your own Whitsundays whale watching adventure - book a bareboating trip and keep an eye out for them playing in the sheltered waters of the Whitsunday Islands and the Whitsunday Coast.

Best time to go: July – September

Cairns & Great Barrier Reef

While the rest of the coast has humpback whales, Cairns & Great Barrier Reef has a whale encounter of its very own.

This part of the reef is the only place in the world where you can snorkel with the elusive dwarf minke whales who holiday on the Ribbon Reefs June and July every year. Their movements for the rest of the year are somewhat of a mystery.

Dr Matt Curnock from James Cook University explains: “They seem to love the northern waters of the Coral Sea for just a few weeks every year and then simply disappear. No one has yet tagged them so they simply disappear off our radar.”

To experience seeing dwarf minke whales on our remote reef you need to join a day trip or liveaboard experience - here's the Cairns operators who offer trips. 

Best time to go: June – July

Ready for an unforgettable whale watching experience in Queensland? Discover where you can swim with whales, or add these incredible marine encounters to your next road trip.