Whale Watching Hervey Bay
Fraser Island and Hervey Bay are renowned as THE playground for migrating whales around the world heading back to the Antarctic. Every year in the cooler months, usually July to September, up to 10,000 humpback whales travel huge distances on their migration up north, including a stop through the Fraser Coast, where they can sit back and relax, enjoying the warmer and more sheltered waters.
These whales rest during their time along the coast and are often observed playing in the calmer water, creating a once-in-a-lifetime encounter for lucky observers. Many female whales come here to birth their young, while the males follow them in hopes of finding a mate. You will often see them putting on shows of dominance, slapping their tales and fins to grab a female's attention and ward off any other males. Females are often spotted teaching their young ones the ways of the water, too!
Humpback whales are generally very docile and curious creatures who often come to check out the boats that are venturing nearby. They are often sighted on the Fraser Coast breaching and putting on aerial shows that will amaze any observer. They are known for their beautiful songs, which can be heard for miles around, which is said to be used as a form of communication, along with moans, howls and cries. They are able to reach sizes of 18 metres in adulthood and grow until they are about 10 years old. Mother humpbacks nurse their young for about a year and spend time along the coast of Australia teaching them to swim, breach and nurse.
Humpbacks are baleen whales that feed off of small animals such as krill. The whales that we see in Australia feed in the antarctic and do not actually feed once they are in warmer waters, instead living off their fat reserves.
Whales are an amazing sight, no matter where you are in the world. The Fraser Coast is lucky to have so many whales passing through during their migration. Because of this unique occurrence in the tourism destination, a small number of operators run whale watching tours, proving the perfect platform to witness these magical creatures in their own habitat, up close and personal. These tours are perfect for the whole family and can guarantee that you will encounter whales on the trip.
