How whale watching in Hervey Bay guarantees humpback sighting

Knowing when and where to look, plus which tours to book, with our tried-and-tested guide to whale watching in Hervey Bay.

As an East Coast local, spotting a whale cruising along Australia’s Humpback Highway isn’t all that unusual. Placed front row as they migrate annually from Antarctica to breed and birth, I’m on the Gold Coast where sudden leaps and misty blows are visible just beyond your morning cuppa.

Whale watching in Hervey Bay, however, sits in a league of its own. Crowned the world’s first Whale Heritage Site in 2019 by the World Cetacean Alliance, the coastal town in Queensland’s Fraser Coast is filled with such toasty waters that whales linger for up to 10 days to flex and flip with ease. It dials up sighting chances exponentially while offering some of the most breathtaking acrobatic displays on earth. Here, how to navigate your next adventure.

Best time of year to see whales in Hervey Bay

whales swimming in the turquoise waters off Hervey Bay — The peak season for whales in Hervey Bay is mid-July to late October. (Image: Visit Fraser Coast)

There’s a specific window for whale watching in Hervey Bay as predictable seasons draw humpbacks to Australia’s warm waters annually. June to November is the official window but when you start chatting to local tour operators, you’ll quickly learn that pods start heading home in November. Our tip? Cut your plans by the end of October to be safe.

Jazz up your experience a step further by visiting during the annual Hervey Bay Whale Festival which typically runs over two weekends during the early stages of whale watching season. You’ll get swept up in activities like an after-dark parade of marine animal lanterns, fireworks, local gallery talks and the standout ‘Blessing of the Fleet’ which sees a trail of boaties create a fleet to receive good will from the local minister.

The 2025 festival is done and dusted but stay across the event’s website for future scheduling.

What types of whales can you spot in Hervey Bay

a humpback whale above the water in Hervey Bay — Humpback whales are the most common whale species in Hervey Bay. (Image: Tracy Farr/Tourism and Events Queensland)

It’s humpback central every year as the medium-sized whale species kick-start one of the longest migratory expeditions taken by any mammal. But while there’s just one species to snoop for, a smorgasbord of humpback sizes is known to drop in come whale watching season in Hervey Bay.

Male humpbacks tend to lead the charge with the younger guys right up front. At the back of the queue, pregnant humpbacks and little calves hang, while the middle is filled with frisky males and females looking to breed.

In Hervey Bay at the beginning of 2025, I chatted to a tour operator who told me that the mamas spend good quality time with their calves as they bask in Hervey Bay’s ideal waters. What that means is mums flaunt their breaching techniques to encourage youngsters to develop their own gymnastic skills. I didn’t catch such a spectacular show in person, but keep your eyes peeled during your visit and get more information on specific sightings from locals who are all so passionate about accommodating their magnificent aquatic neighbours.

Top whale watching tours in Hervey Bay

a whale rising above the water, Blue Dolphin Marine Tours Hervey Bay — Watch humpback whales playfully breach. (Image: Peter Lynch/Tourism and Events Queensland)

Unsurprisingly, there’s no shortage of excellent whale watching tours in Hervey Bay, and many offer up-close-and-personal encounters with pods of humpbacks (think just metres away, with spritzes delightfully unavoidable).

I set sail out of the bay with Blue Dolphin Marine Tours in 2025 and adored every inch of my experience aboard the team’s low-carbon-footprint catamaran. Peter Lynch runs the show, a skipper with more than 40 years of international experience in rescuing and rehabilitating marine mammals, so while you’re enjoying the pristine blue waters out yonder, he’s right on hand to alert you to animals of all shapes and sizes. During my tour, Peter pointed out dolphins and turtles before we even left the marina.

The company’s full-day Whale Watching Encounter offers the ultimate whale watching in Hervey Bay experience, complete with a buffet lunch, morning and afternoon tea, a drink, and pick-up and drop-off transfers from your Hervey Bay accommodation. Prices start from $195 per adult.

We also love these whale watching tours in Hervey Bay:

K’gari Salty Safaris

Choose from a morning or afternoon tour that runs for roughly four hours. Your K’gari Salty Safaris ride is an 11-metre inflatable vessel that slices and dices the water for an added adrenaline rush. The team allow you to swim (safely) and snorkel around popular whale locations as they journey to beautiful K’gari and the northern Great Sandy Strait and back. Prices start from $165 per adult.

Spirit of Hervey Bay

If you’re looking to share your whale watching experience with a large group, Spirit of Hervey Bay is a popular pick. Half day tours invite guests to take a load off over five levels and six viewing decks with air conditioning and multiple bathrooms ensuring everyone’s comfortable. Morning or afternoon tea is also thrown in depending on when you head out. Prices start from $145 per adult.

Whalesong Cruises

The team at Whalesong Cruises take guests out for whale watching in Hervey Bay twice daily for about five hours each spin. The afternoon option runs over sunset so factor that into your happy snapping hopes. What we love about this tour is that it’s highly accessible to guests with access needs — think wheelchair ramps and accessible toilets — which isn’t always the case. Prices start from $160 per adult.

Tasman Venture

A half-day Tasman Venture Whale Watching Encounter gives guests awesome water-level and underwater viewing platforms, so watching the big fellas dance weightlessly before they breach is often on the cards. Morning or afternoon tea is also included, as is an antipasto platter that’s rolled out on the trip back in. Prices start from $155 per adult.

Exploring the world’s largest sand island starts with the perfect K’gari homebase.

The morning light is still soft, but it’s already a perfect sunny day. We left our K’gari homebase at Kingfisher Bay Resort with our guide, Peter Meyer, at 9 am to make the most of our time to explore all that the world’s largest sand island holds. The size of K’gari is hard to grasp until you arrive here. This is no sandbar. Stretching 120 kilometres, unique lakes, mangrove systems, rainforest, 75 Miles of beach, historic shipwrecks, small townships and even one of Queensland’s best bakeries are all hidden within its bounds.

But first, one of the island’s most iconic sights: the pure silica sand and crystal clear waters of Lake McKenzie.

Laying eyes on it for the first time, I’m finally able to confirm that the photos don’t lie. The sand is pure white, without the merest hint of yellow. The water fades from a light halo of aqua around the edges to a deeper, royal blue, the deeper it gets (not that it’s particularly deep, six metres at most). The surface remains surprisingly undisturbed, like a mirror.

Arriving with our guide before 10 am means that no one else is around when we get here. Which means we have the pleasure of breaking the smooth surface with our own ripples as we enter. As a self-confessed wimp with chilly water temperatures, my fears are quickly assuaged. Even in the morning, the water stays around 23 degrees – perfect for lazing about all day. But we have more sights to see.

Exploring K’gari

ariel of in lake mckenzie on k'gari fraser island — Relax in the warm waters of Lake McKenzie. (Image: Ayeisha Sheldon)

This was the Personalised 4WD tour offered by Kingfisher Bay Resort, and my absolute top pick of experiences. Over the course of the day, we had the freedom to create our own bespoke itinerary (plus a provided picnic lunch along the way), with an expert guide who had plenty of stories and local expertise to give context to what we were looking at. From the history of the SS Maheno shipwreck, which survived the First World War only to be washed ashore by a cyclone in 1935, to a detailed description of how an island made of sand could sustain such diverse flora.

If it’s your first time to K’gari, the Beauty Spots Tour is another great option. Departing daily from Kingfisher Bay Resort (you’ll start to notice a trend, as many of the tours do start and end here), an air-conditioned, 4WD bus takes guests to the island’s most iconic locations, including the best places to swim, like Lake McKenzie and Eli Creek. The latter offers a gentle current, perfect for riding with a blow-up tyre out towards the ocean.

The next day, for a look at a completely different side of K’gari, I joined one of Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Immersive Ranger-guided tours to kayak through the mangroves of Dundonga Creek. This long, snake-like stretch of creek winds its way inland from the ocean outlet we entered by, at times too narrow for three kayaks to be side-by-side. Small insects buzz from leaf to leaf, while birds call overhead. Occasional bubbles indicate we’ve passed some fish that call this place home.

kayak tour through the mangroves at k'gari island — Learn about the island’s mangroves from your Ranger. (Image: Reuben Nutt/ TEQ)

If kayaking isn’t for you – or if, like me, you simply want more – other ranger-led experiences include nature walks and a dedicated Junior Eco Ranger Program for kids ages five to 12 (these run every weekend, and daily over the peak December holidays). Just ask for a timetable of upcoming tours when you check in.

While during whale season, Hervey Bay Whale Watch & Charters operates tours from the hotel’s jetty to get up close to the famous Humpback Highway of Hervey Bay, from 7 November to 31 May, attention turns to the Aqua Oasis Cruise . Departing from the resort every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for resort guests, adventure along the island’s remote western coast, pointing out wildlife like dolphins, turtles, flying fish and eagles along the way.

The cruise drops anchor so guests can jump into the water using the boat’s equipment – from SUP boards to inflatable slides and jumping platforms. Then refuel with a provided lunch, of course.

Unwind at sunset

two people drinking cocktails at sunset bar, kingfisher bay resort — Unwind at the Sunset Bar. (Image: Sean Scott)

As much as days on K’gari can be filled with adventure, to me, the afternoons and evenings there are for unwinding. Sunsets on K’gari are absolutely unbelievable, with Kingfisher Bay on the west side being the best spot to catch the colours.

The Sunset Bar , located at the start of the resort’s jetty and overlooking the beach, is the ultimate location for sundowners. Let chill beats wash over you as you sip on cool wines, beers and cocktails in a relaxed, friendly vibe. Personally, a cheese board was also absolutely called for. As the sun sinks, the sand, sea and horizon turn a vibrant shade of orange, with the jetty casting a dramatic shadow across the water.

When the show is over, head back to the hotel for dinner at the Asian-fusion Dune restaurant, or the pub-style Sand + Wood. But if your appetite is still whetted for more lights and colours, the evening isn’t over yet.

Settle into the Illumina stage for Return to Sky, an immersive light and sound show leading viewers on a captivating journey through K’gari’s stories and landscapes.

Indulge and disconnect

woman setting up massage room at kingfisher bay resort Island Day Spa — Find bliss at Island Day Spa. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Of course, there is a type of traveller who knows that balance is important, day or night. While Kingfisher Bay Resort offers more than one pool for guests to spend all day lounging by (they’ll even serve you food and drinks while you do it), you’ll find me at the Island Day Spa.

The masseuses could match the magic hands of any big city spa, and I felt the warm welcome as I walked into the light, breezy reception. Choose from a range of botanical facials, beauty treatments and soothing massages using traditional techniques (obviously, I couldn’t go past a relaxing massage). All products used contain organic, native botanical ingredients with nutrient-rich plant extracts to soothe skin and mind. To really indulge, try out one of the packages, couples treatment or even a pre-wedding day offering.

Getting there

kingfisher bay resort 4wd tour driving passed ss maheno on k'gari island — The world of K’gari awaits. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Getting to K’gari is shockingly easy. Find daily flights into Hervey Bay from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Kingfisher Bay Resort offers a shuttle bus between the airport, their headquarters in Hervey Bay and the ferry to take you to K’gari.

This Aussie town is the whale watching capital of the world