The best whale-watching locations to witness the record-breaking season

Whale migration in Australia is a magical time. Here is where to join in.

Humbling and fascinating, locals and tourists head out in droves to whale-watching locations, both on land and on whale-watching tours during the season. And in 2026, the famous ‘Humpback Highway’ – stretching along Australia’s East Coast – will welcome record numbers of whales. In fact, Marine scientists have estimated that over 50,000 eastern Australian humpback whales will migrate, which is 20,000 more than the estimated pre-whaling population of the early 1900s.

But where are the best places to go to see the breaches and water spouts of thousands of migrating whales? Here are the top whale-watching locations in Australia.

1. Hervey Bay, Qld

a whale watching tour swimming with humpback whale in hervey bay queensland — You might even get a chance to swim with humpback whales. (Credit: Reuben Nutt)

Every winter, pods of humpback whales can be spotted off the east coast of Australia. They make their way up from Antarctica to the Great Barrier Reef to mate and give birth, then take their calves out of the nursery and head back south.

It is for this reason that the warm and sheltered waters of the Great Sandy Marine Park on the Fraser Coast and nearby K’gari make for the ideal rest area for migrating whales.

Hervey Bay was the world’s first Whale Heritage Site, named by the World Cetacean Alliance, and is one of the most popular places in Australia to observe the mighty tail slaps of these peaceful creatures.

2. South Coast, NSW

humpack whale underwater at Merimbula South Coast nsw — Spot humpback whales while on the South Coast. (Credit: Destination NSW)

Whales are a regular fixture of the NSW South Coast during the colder months – in particular, close to the Sapphire Coast. From the waters of Bermagui to Eden, you will be able to see travelling humpback whales and southern right whales as they rest and feed in the waters.

There is also a fascinating history of whale and human collaboration here. Up until the early 20th century, it was rumoured that orcas would even help whalers to catch baleen whales – that is, until whalers killed and maimed some of their pod.

3. Bremer Bay, WA

orcas at bremer bay western austrlaia — Get a chance to spot orcas up close. (Image: Tourism WA)

From early in the year until April, family pods of orcas (also known as killer whales) begin turning up to Bremer Bay in the south of Western Australia. Why do they come here? It is still not 100 per cent certain. But whatever the reason, avid whale watchers can make their way out to watch them hunting in groups, stalking squid and other prey.

In autumn, you might also recognise sperm whales and pilot whales. In winter, keep an eye out for southern right whales, who arrive to raise their calves in the sheltered waters of Bremer Bay.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

4. Victor Harbor, SA

woman watching humpback whale in victor harbour — Catch the annual whale migration from Victor Harbor. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

Perched up on a lookout or steaming out to sea, from May to October, you’ll likely get a sighting of the southern right whale on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula. Each year, they make their annual migration from Antarctica along the coast of southern Australia. This means that if you keep an eye out, you can catch a glimpse of them in beachside towns like Victor Harbor.

Chances are you will also experience other impressive marine wildlife sightings, like common and bottlenose dolphins, as well as New Zealand fur seals and Australian sea lions on a trip out – a bonus not to be sniffed at.

5. Freycinet National Park, Tas

hiker looking over Wineglass Bay — Go whale-watching at the picturesque Wineglass Bay. (Credit: Roady)

Today, Freycinet National Park on Tasmania’s east coast is known as one of the best places in the island state to see southern right whales. But this was not always the case. During the early 19th century, whales found here were mercilessly hunted for their oil-rich blubber and useful bones.

In fact, the lovely Wineglass Bay was named because of the way its blue waters were transformed into a gory ‘red wine glass’ when the blood of whales would fill it. A beautiful name for a gruesome practice.

6. Whitsundays, Qld

The tropical waters of the reef in the Whitsundays are some of the best places to find whales and have also been named a Whale Heritage Site. So, keep an eye out for breaching and playing calves with their mothers here.

If you’re careful (and very, very lucky), you might even identify a female dwarf minke whale.

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7. The Kimberley, WA

Humpback Whale with clave in western australia — See new calves along the Dampier Peninsula. (Image: Tourism WA)

The dry season from May to October is the best time to explore the red rock formations and dusty roads of the enormous Kimberley region.

It’s also when humpback whales make their annual journey from Antarctica to this remote corner of Western Australia. Calves and adults alike are protected by islands and reefs for the breeding season.

8. Eyre Peninsula, SA

mother and calf humpback whale on Eyre Peninsula — Spot mothers and calves playing together. (Image: SA Tourism Commission)

A 12 or so-hour drive in the opposite direction of Victor Harbour will take you to the high cliffs of the Head of Bight. Near the Nullarbor Plain on the Eyre Peninsula, the high vantage point offers another excellent location to see whales.

Southern right whales give birth near here, meaning you will also make out calves playing with their mothers in the relatively safe waters. The best time to come to spot them here is in August.

9. Jervis Bay, NSW

a whale breaching out of the water in Hervey Bay — See humpbacks on a tour, or from a surrounding headland. (Credit: Jordan Robins)

Shoalhaven’s coastline becomes a grandstand for the annual humpback migration, particularly around Jervis Bay. Find guided cruises and swim-with encounters to get closer to these magnificent creatures. But there’s no need to even enter the water to spot them. Grab the binoculars and pop over to Ulladulla or Mollymook headlands, where sightings during peak migration are a near-daily occurrence.

For more whale-watching inspiration, see our in-depth whale-watching guides to Sydney, Port Stephens, the Gold Coast and Merimbula.

Located just an hour north-west of Melbourne, the largely undiscovered Macedon Ranges quietly pours some of Australia’s finest cool-climate wines and serves up some of Victoria’s best food.

Mention the Macedon Ranges and most people will think of day spas and mineral springs around Daylesford, cosy weekends away in the countryside or the famous Hanging Rock (of enigmatic picnic fame). Or they won’t have heard of the Macedon Ranges at all.

But this cool-climate destination has been inconspicuously building a profile as a high-quality food and wine region and is beginning to draw serious attention from oenophiles and epicureans alike.

The rise of Macedon Ranges wine

liquid gold barrels at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — Barrels of liquid gold at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

With elevations ranging from 300 to 800 metres, Macedon Ranges vineyards are among the highest in the country. This altitude, combined with significant day/night temperature swings, makes for a slow ripening season, in turn nurturing wines that embody elegance and structure. Think crisp chardonnays, subtle yet complex pinot noirs and delicate sparkling wines, along with niche varietals, such as gamay and nebbiolo.

Despite the region’s natural advantages – which vary from estate to estate, as each site embodies unique terroir depending on its position in relation to the Great Dividing Range, soil make-up and altitude – the Macedon Ranges has remained something of an insider’s secret. Unlike Victoria’s Yarra Valley or Mornington Peninsula, you won’t find large tour buses here and there’s no mass marketing drawing crowds.

Many of the 40-odd wineries are family-run operations with modest yields, meaning the wineries maintain a personal touch (if you visit a cellar door, you’ll likely chat to the owner or winemaker themselves) and a tight sales circle that often doesn’t go far beyond said cellar door. And that’s part of the charm.

Though wines from the Macedon Ranges are just starting to gain more widespread recognition in Australia, the first vines were planted in the 1860s, with a handful of operators then setting up business in the 1970s and ’80s. The industry surged again in the 1990s and early 2000s with the entry of wineries, such as Mount Towrong, which has an Italian slant in both its wine and food offering, and Curly Flat, now one of the largest estates.

Meet the new generation of local winemakers

the Clydesdale barn at Paramoor. — The Clydesdale barn at Paramoor. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Then, within the last 15 years, a new crop of vignerons like Andrew Wood at Kyneton Ridge Estate, whose vineyard in 2024 was the first in the Macedon Ranges to be certified by Sustainable Winegrowing Australia; Geoff Plahn and Samantha Reid at Paramoor, who have an impressive cellar door with a roaring fire and studded leather couches in an old Clydesdale barn; and Ollie Rapson and Renata Morello at Lyons Will, who rapidly expanded a small vineyard to focus on top-shelf riesling, gamay, pinot noir and chardonnay, have taken ownership of local estates.

Going back to the early days, Llew Knight’s family was one of the pioneers of the 1970s, replacing sheep with vines at Granite Hills when the wool industry dwindled. Knight is proud of the fact that all their wines are made with grapes from their estate, including a light, peppery shiraz (some Macedon wineries purchase fruit from nearby warmer areas, such as Heathcote, particularly to make shiraz) and a European-style grüner veltliner. And, as many other wineries in the region do, he relies on natural acid for balance, rather than an additive, which is often required in warmer regions. “It’s all about understanding and respecting your climate to get the best out of your wines,” he says.

farm animals atKyneton Ridge Estate — Curious residents at Kyneton Ridge Estate. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Throughout the Macedon Ranges, there’s a growing focus on sustainability and natural and low-intervention wines, with producers, such as Brian Martin at Hunter Gatherer making waves in regenerative viticulture. Martin previously worked in senior roles at Australia’s largest sparkling winemaking facility, and now applies that expertise and his own nous to natural, hands‑off, wild-fermented wines, including pét‑nat, riesling and pinot noir. “Wild fermentation brings more complexity,” he says. “Instead of introducing one species of yeast, you can have thousands and they add different characteristics to the wine.”

the vineyard at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — The estate’s vineyard, where cool-climate grapes are grown. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Most producers also focus on nurturing their grapes in-field and prune and pick by hand, thus avoiding the introduction of impurities and the need to meddle too much in the winery. “The better the quality of the fruit, the less you have to interfere with the natural winemaking process,” says Wood.

Given the small yields, there’s also little room for error, meaning producers place immense focus on quality. “You’re never going to compete in the middle [in a small region] – you’ve got to aim for the top,” says Curly Flat owner Jeni Kolkka. “Big wineries try to do things as fast as possible, but we’re in no rush,” adds Troy Walsh, owner and winemaker at Attwoods. “We don’t use commercial yeasts; everything is hand-harvested and everything is bottled here, so we bottle only when we’re ready, not when a big truck arrives.” That’s why, when you do see a Macedon Ranges product on a restaurant wine list, it’s usually towards the pointy end.

Come for the wine, stay for the food

pouring sauce onto a dish at Lake HouseDaylesford — Dining at Lake House Daylesford is a treat. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

If wine is the quiet achiever of the Macedon Ranges, then food is its not-so-secret weapon. In fact, the area has more hatted restaurants than any other region in Victoria. A pioneer of the area’s gourmet food movement is region cheerleader Alla Wolf-Tasker, culinary icon and founder of Daylesford’s Lake House.

For more than three decades, Wolf-Tasker has championed local producers and helped define what regional fine dining can look like in Australia. Her influence is palpable, not just in the two-hatted Lake House kitchen, but in the broader ethos of the region’s dining scene, as a wave of high-quality restaurants have followed her lead to become true destination diners.

the Midnight Starling restaurant in Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — The hatted Midnight Starling restaurant is located in Kyneton. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

It’s easy to eat well, whether at other hatted restaurants, such as Midnight Starling in the quaint town of Kyneton, or at the wineries themselves, like Le Bouchon at Attwoods, where Walsh is inspired by his time working in France in both his food offering and winemaking.

The beauty of dining and wine touring in the Macedon Ranges is that it feels intimate and unhurried. You’re likely to meet the winemaker, hear about the trials of the latest vintage firsthand, and taste wines that never make it to city shelves. And that’s worth getting out of the city for – even if it is just an hour down the road.

Delicate dishes on the menu at Midnight Starling. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

the accommodation at Cleveland Estate, Macedon Ranges — Stay at the Cleveland Estate. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Soak up vineyard views from Cleveland Estate near Lancefield, embrace retro charm at Kyneton Springs Motel or indulge in lakeside luxury at the Lake House.

Eating there

Enjoy a four-course menu at the one-hatted Surly Goat in Hepburn Springs, Japanese-inspired fare at Kuzu in Woodend or unpretentious fine dining at Mount Monument, which also has a sculpture park.

Drinking there

wine tasting at PassingClouds Winery, Macedon Ranges — A tasting at Passing Clouds Winery. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Settle in for a tasting at Boomtown in Castlemaine, sample local drops at the cosy Woodend Cellar & Bar or wine-hop around the many cellar doors, such as Passing Clouds.

the Boomtown Winery and Cellar Bar signage — Boomtown Winery and Cellar Bar. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Playing there

a scenic river in Castlemaine — Idyllic scenes at Castlemaine. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Wander through the seasonal splendour of Forest Glade Gardens, hike to the summit of Hanging Rock, or stroll around the tranquil Sanatorium Lake.

purple flowers hanging from a tree — Purple flowers hanging from a tree. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

A record-breaking whale-watching season has begun. Here’s where to spot them