Hervey Bay is a great place to have a whale watching experience and you are more or less guaranteed to see whales in the season which runs from about late April to the end of October. Yes whales watching tours are not cheap but it really is worth the trip. If you are close to Hervey Bay make sure don't miss out on your chance to see humpback whales at Hervey Bay.
Hervey Bay is a small seaside town in the sunshine state of Queensland, Australia sometimes coined the "Whale Watching Capital of the World." Every year humpback whales migrate from the Antarctic to warmer waters to give birth to their calves, arriving in Hervey Bay from late July until early November.
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| Hervey Bay Whale Watching is Just Four Hours from Brisbane |
Whale watching at Hervey Bay was an unforgettable experience for me. I was lucky enough to watch these beautiful creatures playing and having fun in the water. It truly was a privilege. Even though the whale watching tour I took wasn't perfect in many ways it didn't matter as the whales were stunning.
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| Humpback Whale Breach, Hervey Bay, Australia |
There are a number of whale watching tours departing from Hervey Bay from full day to half day experiences. Prices range from $110 for a half day to about $130 for a full day which usually includes a buffet lunch. Other tour inclusions are free wifi, morning and afternoon tea and a variety of viewing platforms and options,
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| Whale Watching at Hervey Bay - The Back of the Boat is a Good Place to Take Photos |
I went with Tasman Venture Whale Watch Tours on a weekday afternoon tour of around four hours in late October. The commentary was good and the afternoon tea pretty average. I appreciated the complimentary DVD. One advantage of the afternoon tour was the added bonus of lovely afternoon light and a pink tinged sky on the return journey.
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| Afternoon Whale Watching Tour from Hervey Bay Affords Good Light for Photos |
On the downside the Tasman Venture boat was very crowded on my tour and it was hard to get a good position to take photographs at times, which was disappointing. Also there is no monitoring of viewing platforms which potentially turned it into a bit of a bumfight once whales were in sight. If I were to do it over I would definitely go on a tour with smaller numbers.
Be prepared to not necessarily see a lot of whales. Sightings are governed by luck, knowledgeable crews and time of year. As it was near the end of the season when I went, whale sightings were limited. We did see a mother and calf frolicking in the water and later saw an adult male and that was it. More than enough though and very exciting.
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| Waiting for Whales to Appear on Whale Watching Tour |
Take a good book to read as there can be a bit of waiting around for the whales to appear. While you wait listen to whale song and learn a bit about the life cycle and habits of the humpback whale. Once the whales appear it makes the wait totally worth it.
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| Humpback Whale Breach Hervey Bay Whale Watching Tour |
Make sure your camera or phone is set to the highest megapixel setting to ensure that you can enlarge your best photos or just crop part of them without losing quality. A humpback whale breaching makes for a spectacular shot. Try to take close ups of the whales too. If you are in luck a whale will approach the boat or "mug" it as it is often called. Sometimes some of the best photos of whales are the detail shots.
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| Humpback Whale Close Up Shot of Flippers, Hervey Bay Whale Watching |
The boat hugged the coastline of Fraser Island affording excellent views both ways on my whale watching tour. It is worthwhile packing binoculars, if you have them, for any wildlife viewing opportunities and because whales can sometimes be quite far away. One of the highlights of this trip for me was the chance spotting of a wild dingo roaming the Fraser Island beach.
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| Fraser Island Views from the Boat on the Hervey Bay Whale Watching Tour |
Back at the Hervey Bay Marina it was already dusk. I took the opportunity to take some photos of moored boats. As it was dinner time I rounded off the day with a helping of fresh fish and chips which were absolutely beautiful and worth sampling whether you are from another part of Australia or an overseas visitor.
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| Hervey Bay Marina Entrance |
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| Moored Boats at Hervey Bay Marina, Queensland |
