A Guide to Whale Watching in Australia: Where, When, and How

Every year, tens of thousands of whales migrate along Australia's coastlines — one of the great wildlife spectacles the country has to offer. Two species dominate the Australian whale watching calendar: humpback whales, which migrate along both the east and west coasts, and southern right whales, which gather in sheltered bays along the south coast to breed and calve.

Here's everything you need to plan a whale watching trip in Australia.

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The Two Main Species

Humpback Whales

The most commonly seen species on Australian whale watching tours. Humpbacks migrate from their Antarctic feeding grounds to warmer tropical waters every winter — north along the east coast to the Coral Sea, and north along the west coast to the waters off the Kimberley. The return journey south happens from September to November.

Adult humpbacks reach 14–16 metres in length and up to 36,000 kg. They're known for their acrobatic behaviour — breaching (launching their full body clear of the water), tail-lobbing, pec-slapping, and spy-hopping (rising vertically from the water to look around) are all regularly observed from boats and headlands.

East coast migration: June to November, peaking July to September
West coast migration: June to November

Southern Right Whales

Larger, slower, and more placid than humpbacks, southern right whales are the species most associated with Australia's south coast winter. They were the "right" whale for early whalers to hunt — slow-moving, rich in blubber, and floating when dead — which brought them to near-extinction in the 19th century. Their recovery since international protection began in 1935 has been significant but incomplete; the current Australian population is estimated at around 3,500.

Southern rights gather in sheltered bays from June to October to breed and calve. Mothers with newborn calves are a regular sight at key locations; the calves are born at approximately 5 metres and grow rapidly in the first weeks of life.

Season: June to October, peaking July to September

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East Coast Whale Watching

Hervey Bay, Queensland

Season: July to November
Species: Humpback

Hervey Bay is the undisputed humpback whale watching capital of Australia. The bay's protected water provides a calm resting point for humpbacks on their southward migration — rather than passing quickly through, whales spend days or weeks in the bay, resulting in extended, calm surface interactions that are exceptional for whale watching.

Multiple licensed tour operators run half-day and full-day whale watching cruises from Hervey Bay Boat Harbour. Pod interactions, playful juveniles, and extended surface behaviour are common. This is as reliable a whale watching destination as exists in the country.

What to expect: Extended viewing of relaxed whales. Breaching, spy-hopping, and pec-slapping are common. Calm conditions most days given the bay's protection.

Byron Bay, NSW

Season: June to November
Species: Humpback (and occasional minke and southern right)

Cape Byron sits at the easternmost point of mainland Australia — directly on the migration route. Whale watching from the Cape Byron lighthouse headland is one of the best shore-based experiences in the country: elevated views over the water, minimal boat traffic below, and humpbacks that regularly breach within viewing distance of the cliff.

Boat tours also operate from Byron Bay Main Beach for closer encounters. The combination of headland watching and a boat tour on the same day is a strong program.

What to expect: Daily sightings from the headland during peak season. Boat tours offer closer encounters but the headland view is itself excellent.

Eden, NSW South Coast

Season: September to November
Species: Humpback

Eden sits at the southern end of the NSW coast, where humpbacks gather on their southward return migration. The Twofold Bay area has a long history with whales — the area was historically hunted here for over a century; the Killer Whale Museum in Eden documents the extraordinary relationship between local orcas and human whalers in the early 20th century.

Whale watching tours from Eden Wharf are well-regarded. The combination of the town's history, the museum, and the live whale watching makes Eden one of the more complete whale watching experiences on the east coast.

Sydney, NSW

Season: June to November
Species: Humpback

Humpbacks pass directly along the Sydney coastline. Shore-based watching from headlands — Cape Solander at Kurnell, Bradley's Head in Middle Harbour, and the Bondi to Coogee cliff walk — can be excellent during peak migration, and multiple tour operators run whale watching cruises from Circular Quay and Darling Harbour.

Cape Solander at Kurnell is the most dedicated shore-based whale watching location — a purpose-built viewing platform above a headland with clear views over the migration corridor.

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South Coast Whale Watching

Head of Bight, South Australia

Season: June to October
Species: Southern right whale

One of the most dramatic whale watching experiences in Australia. The Great Australian Bight is the most important calving ground for southern right whales in the country — up to 100 whales gather below the Bunda Cliffs each winter to breed and calve, visible directly from cliff-top viewing platforms maintained by the Yalata and Oak Valley Aboriginal communities.

The viewing platform sits at the top of 70-metre limestone cliffs, looking directly down into the bay. Mothers with calves are visible rolling, nursing, and playing in the clear blue water below. No boat is needed or available — the entire experience is from the cliff above.

Getting there: The Head of Bight is 20 km off the Eyre Highway, 20 km west of Nullarbor. Entry fee applies; visitor centre on site.

Warrnambool, Victoria

Season: June to October
Species: Southern right whale

Logans Beach in Warrnambool hosts a purpose-built whale nursery viewing platform, one of the few in the world, where southern right whale mothers bring their calves into the sheltered water between sand bars to nurse in the shallow, calm bay.

The platform provides close viewing (whales sometimes come within 100 metres) without disturbing the animals. Whale wardens operate during peak season and provide information about individual whales and calves being tracked.

What to expect: Close, calm shore-based viewing. Mothers with calves are the main attraction; playful calves practising breaching are regularly observed.

Victor Harbor, South Australia

Season: June to October
Species: Southern right whale

The Encounter Bay area around Victor Harbor sees regular southern right whale visits during the winter season. Granite Island, connected to the town by a causeway, provides an elevated viewing point. Whale watching cruises also operate from the harbour.

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West Coast Whale Watching

Exmouth, Western Australia

Season: June to November
Species: Humpback

Humpbacks on the west coast migration pass through the Exmouth Gulf and the waters around Cape Range National Park in large numbers. Whale watching tours from Exmouth run daily during peak season. The combination of humpback whale watching and whale shark encounters (March to July) makes Exmouth one of the most extraordinary marine wildlife destinations in Australia.

Dunsborough and the Capes, WA

Season: September to December
Species: Humpback and southern right whale

The waters around Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin in WA's South West see good humpback numbers on the southward migration in spring. Southern rights are also occasionally sighted in Geographe Bay near Dunsborough. Tour operators from Dunsborough run dedicated whale watching cruises during the season.

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How to Watch Responsibly

Australian law requires all vessels to maintain a minimum distance of 100 metres from whales, and 300 metres from a whale with a calf. Vessels must not approach head-on, cut across the path of a whale, or position themselves between a mother and calf.

Licensed whale watching tour operators operate under strict protocols and have trained guides who explain the behaviour being observed. Choosing a licensed operator is both the legal and the better experiential choice — they know where the whales are, how to approach safely, and what the behaviour means.

For shore-based watching, binoculars (8x42 magnification is the standard recommendation for wildlife watching) significantly improve the experience at headland locations.

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What to Bring

For boat tours: A windproof layer regardless of the air temperature — being on the water is colder than shore. Sea sickness medication if you're prone; take it 30–60 minutes before boarding. A camera with a reasonable zoom.

For shore-based watching: Binoculars, a warm layer, and patience. The best shore watching involves settling at a headland and giving it an hour rather than scanning for 10 minutes and moving on.

Sunscreen: Both boat and headland whale watching involve significant time in the Australian sun. Apply before you leave and bring some to reapply.

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Whale watching from the Cape Byron lighthouse is one of the great free wildlife experiences in Australia — and one you can extend into a full beach day at Wategos below, with the XO Beach Blanket as your base. Shop the full Xanto range at xanto.com.au.