Whale watching in Hervey Bay is an extremely popular attraction, both for locals and tourists. During the whale watching season in Hervey Bay between July and November, hordes of people head out on whale watching tours to catch the playful Humpback whales in action.

Watching whales in their natural habitat is a pleasing thing for the mind. Watching one the largest mammals on Earth breaching and tail slapping shows the raw power of these gentle giants. The best time to go on a whale watching cruise in Hervey Bay is from end of June to the end of November.

The whale song might seem baleful and sad to us, but it is in fact a means of communication, most often a mating call, by the male whales of the pod. Only the males sing or vocalise and each song might last from ten to twenty minutes with varying amplitude and frequency. Some performances can be as long as a day!

Whales have no vocal cords and they sing by forcing air through their blow holes. The whale songs are mostly area specific – the North Atlantic Humpbacks sing the same song whereas the North Pacific Humpbacks have a different song.

There are numerous operators offering whale watching cruises and all vessels depart from the Urangan Boat Harbour, Hervey Bay. Most of the Hervey Bay whale watching vessels are purpose-built boats designed with viewing platforms, underwater viewing windows and sound systems to hear the whales sing. Educational videos are also screened on the way to the Hervey Bay Marine Park. Some operators offer half-day tours with beverages and snacks, while others offer full day tours that include lunch as well.

The Hervey Bay whales are used to the boats that come out to view them in action. They are inquisitive and swim right up beside the vessels giving guests a great up, close and personal experience – literally the experience of a lifetime! You may also be lucky enough to see some dolphins, turtles or maybe even dugongs!