Australia · WHALE WATCHING
Good whale watching tours fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Cruise from Circular Quay into Sydney’s open waters aboard a spacious catamaran for 2 hours and 45 minutes of humpback whale watching. Your English-speaking guide shares whale facts while you watch from broad decks, with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, toilets, and a licensed bar onboard.
“Great fun, knowledgeable guides and we saw lots of whales and dolphins. Would 100% do it again!”
Join Brisbane Whale Watching aboard the purpose-built Eye Spy catamaran for a five-hour Moreton Bay cruise from Redcliffe. Captain Kerry and the crew provide live commentary while you look for humpback whales, dolphins, turtles, and breaching calves. Lunch, vegetarian options, and optional Brisbane or Sunshine Coast pickup are available.
“This company is really well organised. They’ve got an excellent boat which is designed for watching whales up close. The staff are friendly and a lot of information about whales is relayed. We saw many of these magnificent animals up close - it was truly awesome.”
Join Toni and the Freedom Whale Watch crew at 9:30 am for a six-hour catamaran cruise from Hervey Bay into Platypus Bay. Watch humpback whales near K’Gari, listen for whale calls through the hydrophone, and enjoy morning tea, buffet lunch, afternoon tea, and views from three decks.
“Great crew, well organized, not too many people on board, fantastic experience the whales came very close to our boat. Enjoyed the day in full.”
Cruise from Southport on Spirit of Gold Coast, a 24-meter catamaran with open viewing decks, morning tea, and marine biologist commentary. From June to November, look for humpback whales, dolphins, calves, and tail slaps. If no whale is seen, you receive a complimentary return cruise.
“Very organized and professionally run tour. Saw whales immediately upon leaving the seaway! They offered seasickness tablets to everyone ($3) and although it wasn’t rough we were glad we took them as we saw a couple of other people get sick. Trip was just long enough and with fine weather it made an excellent afternoon experience for us and our teenage son.”
Cruise from King Street Wharf past the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Manly Beach, and Sydney Heads, then search the Pacific for migrating humpbacks. You’ll have breakfast or BBQ lunch onboard, live marine commentary, and a free return cruise if no whales are found. Guides include Devlin and David.
“Fascinating and fantastic to see whales up close, and Personal. Don’t forget to bring your seasick medicine, in fact, take it before you leave for the tour. Other than that lunch was amazing, not your cheese sandwich, and water type of lunch, really good food. All in all, I can’t say enough good things about the tour.”
From Circular Quay, ride Fantasea Crystal to the open ocean in about 20 minutes, then spend nearly 90 minutes looking for humpback whales, dolphins, and seals. You can watch from the sun deck, covered rear deck, or air-conditioned cabin. Guides such as Josh, Wayde, and Kate have earned praise for lively commentary.
“Lovely views, unfortunately we did not see any whales”
Meet Spirit of Gold Coast at Main Beach for a 2.5-hour humpback whale cruise from June to October. Captain Dean and a marine biologist guide help you spot whales, dolphins, and other sea life from the catamaran’s open viewing decks. Tea, coffee, biscuits, and a free second trip if no whales appear are included.
“Excellent experience, the whales were swimming along beside us and the captain have great commentary with lots of info. The crew took great care of everyone and were very attentive to those who were sea sick too”
Cruise Platypus Bay aboard the 12m Ocean Defender, a small rigid inflatable boat led by marine scientists. You’ll hear live whale songs through hydrophones, learn about humpback behavior, enjoy snacks and soft drinks, and see K’gari from water level.
“The team are fantastic and knowledgeable. We managed to spot three pods of whales and were even lucky enough to see a triple breach. I would highly recommend as the money also goes towards the conservation of these animals though if I hadn’t seen the activity we had, I am not sure I would have been as happy but this is obviously not something any of them can control”
Leave King Street Wharf in Darling Harbour with Whale Tales for a 2.5-hour search for migrating humpback whales. You’ll pass the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, then head beyond the Heads with a small group, live commentary, and crew such as Rex, Mette, Alex, or Isaac. Whale sighting guarantee included.
“We had a fantastic day out on Sydney Harbour and beyond the Heads for our whale sighting tour. The weather was picture perfect adding a to great trip. Mette was extremely knowledgeable and provided a commentary on the whales' behaviour & how best to spot them. We were encouraged to stand up and move around so we could spot the whales (this was great for me as I normally suffer seasickness and didn't want to just sit). The Whale Tales website encouraged visitors to take medication if they suffer from seasickness 1 hour before, I did and had no problem at all. Our first sighting was a mother Humpback whale…”
Cruise Hervey Bay and the western side of K’gari for four hours aboard the 20-meter Tasman Venture catamaran. Guides such as Vicky and Rachel explain whale behavior while you use open decks, underwater windows, and a water-level platform to watch humpbacks at close range.
“A fantastic day with lots of whales putting on a show for us”
Cruise from Hervey Bay’s Great Sandy Straits Marina into Platypus Bay, where humpback whales rest and play. You’ll have multi-level decks, a hydrophone, underwater cameras, expert commentary, meals, and hotel pickup. Choose a five-hour morning trip or a four-hour afternoon cruise with sunset views.
“Amazing day. We saw so many whales breaching and fin flapping. The crew were friendly and so helpful. Food was great. What more could you ask for”
Join Tasman Venture at Great Sandy Straits Marina for a four-hour Hervey Bay whale cruise. Watch humpbacks from an outdoor platform or underwater windows, hear their songs through hydrophones, and enjoy tea, cake, and an antipasto platter. Hotel pickup, child activities, and multilingual commentary are available.
“Must do in Hervey Bay staff are fabulous and very knowledgeable they go out of their way to find the whales would definitely do it again and highly recommend”
Join Blue Dolphin Marine Tours for an eight-hour whale watch from Hervey Bay to Platypus Bay. Peter, Jodie, or Cassie guide the day aboard a 24-seat catamaran, with a submerged viewing platform, hydrophone, buffet lunch, tea, and hotel transfers.
“I've been on a few whale watch tours but this is by far the best! Smaller boat and fewer people gets you closer to these majestic giants. The respect these guides show for all the sea life is beautiful. The best day ever!”
From Sardine Jetty, cruise Perth’s sheltered waters aboard the three-level Steep Point. Marine mammal experts, including commentator Niamh on some departures, explain whale behavior while you watch adults, mothers, calves, breaching whales, and tail slaps from five viewing decks.
“Wonderful experience! The crew was friendly and knowledgeable, and we were lucky to see humpback whales up close. Truly memorable — I’d recommend this to anyone wanting to witness these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat.”
Spend about 4.5 hours aboard the Spirit of Hervey Bay, a stable catamaran cruising Platypus Bay for humpback whales. Use open decks, underwater viewing windows, a waterline platform, and a hydrophone while the crew explains whale behavior. Tea, parking, and Hervey Bay accommodation transfers are included.
“Lots of whale pods , great boat good information about the whales . Had a fun time with the family. The crew were very informative.”
Pick a coast, a rock or a cellar door.
