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.

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

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.

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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.

Halfway between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, the coastline is hiding a holiday gem. Meet Moreton Bay: a region brimming with unexpected experiences.

Weekends are a finite resource. Each year, we must decide how to extract the most value from just 52 of them – and Moreton Bay may just be the perfect way to do it.

But don’t be fooled by the region’s easy accessibility. It’s somehow remained an unspoken secret among locals and travellers alike.

It has the fresh seafood and the island-dotted bay, but did you know about the wizarding store, the disco royalty, or the vintage train-carriage-stay tucked into a national park?

The best part? You can explore them all without touching your annual leave balance.

1. Oyster Shed at Sandstone Point

You could make the argument that the Oyster Shed at Sandstone Point is reason enough to spend a weekend in Moreton Bay.

What was once a humble, wooden oyster farming shack in the 1900s is now a seaside paradise: day beds bathed in Queensland sunshine, a jetty that pierces the sea, and a seafood menu based on their exclusive fishing partner’s daily catches.

Your first stop in Moreton Bay must be to try the area’s beloved Moreton Bay Bugs. Here, they’re served fresh in the sea breeze. Order the Crustacean Plate that’s prepared fresh each day. Or, try their signature baked fish tacos.

2. Ocean View Estates

Tucked away in the hills of Moreton Bay, you’ll find Ocean View Estates, poured across 100 acres of sloping vineyards. Arrive via winding or scenic mountain roads.

Join the Wine & Dine in the Vines experience to be greeted with a glass of wine upon arrival before taking the time to stroll (wine in hand) through the grapevines. Spot the adorable herd of Highland cows before joining a behind-the-scenes tour of the vineyard’s operations. Sip wine straight from the vat before starting your four-course, wine-paired degustation.

If you can’t bear to leave, spend the night in one of the property’s quaint wine-themed cottages.

3. Green Thumb Farm

green thumb farm moreton bay — Learn about (and taste) sustainable food growing practices at Green Thumb.

Green Thumb Farm calls Samford Valley home. This not-for-profit, educational community farm’s goal is to share sustainable food growing practices with the community.

Each Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday morning, you can follow the ‘farm walk’ signs through the property on a self-guided walk to witness how growing food with regenerative farming principles can support pollinators and soil to help create a more resilient food cycle.

To sample the produce, stop by on a Saturday morning to explore the spray-free fruit and vegetable markets.

4. Redcliffe KiteFest

Redcliffe annual KiteFest — Watch the sky change colours during KiteFest.

Plan your visit to Moreton Bay for the weekend of the 19th and 20th of September this year and you’ll be greeted with an explosion of colour, creativity and family fun. Why? Because the Redcliffe annual KiteFest is back in town.

Browse the local food trucks as giant kites soar overhead, fly your own kite, let the kids try their hand at kite making with a series of workshops, and so much more.

For a colourful, family-friendly weekend close to Brisbane, you’ll be hard-pressed to find something better in your calendar.

5. Mt Nebo Railway Carriage and Chalet

Under the shaded canopy of the Boombana section of D’Aguilar National Park, you’ll find a lovingly restored 1920s Queensland Rail carriage and chalet.

The rail carriage comes complete with Wi-Fi, a smart TV, and even a barbecue. Take your morning coffee in the buffet car’s booth seating while you browse the record selection from the train’s original luggage racks.

Here, among six acres of picturesque mountain rainforest, you’ll find quaint gardens, tranquil views and close access to walking trails.

6. Hip Hops Brewers

Try tasty craft beer flavours at Hip Hop Brewers.

Brendale’s Hip Hops Brewers has one of the region’s most exciting craft beer offerings. Their local taproom is home to 21 different, meticulously crafted beer offerings and their mammoth selection of local wines and spirits. Hip Hops Brewers works in collaboration with local artisans and charities to deliver on their offering of drinks and events.

Spend an afternoon working your way through the selection at their ridiculously welcoming taproom and brewery.

7. The Store of Requirement

For Harry Potter fans, The Store of Requirement is a compulsory visit. Much like the story’s Room of Requirement, the shop exists to provide whatever it is you need at the moment. Yes, that does include their own butterscotch brew. You’ll find wands, Hogwarts uniforms, and all the ingredients you’ll need for potions class.

You’ll even find the powder blue car Ron and Harry crash-landed at Hogwarts parked right out front.

8. Bee Gees Way

bee gees way mural — Find the groove on Bee Gees Way. (Credit: Tourism and Events Moreton Bay)

Did you know that the Bee Gees brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice grew up in Moreton Bay? The disco supergroup called Redcliffe’s shores home before settling in at the top of the charts with hits like ‘Stayin’ Alive’.

Now, the spirit of disco is absolutely alive in Redcliffe thanks to Bee Gees Way.

The 70-metre outdoor museum pays homage to the band and was developed in collaboration with the band’s Barry Gibb. The experience is completely free and meanders along the Redcliffe foreshore. Walk down memory lane with photos, album covers, personal stories from the band, and exclusive interviews with Barry all about Moreton Bay.

Once the sun has set, catch the free light show set to the band’s greatest hits.

Trade the everyday for Moreton Bay, plan your weekend getaway now at visitmoretonbay.com.au.

This Aussie town is the whale watching capital of the world

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

Best time of year to see whales in Hervey Bay

What types of whales can you spot in Hervey Bay