During the northern migration, the humpbacks head north between may and august mostly to give birth and to mate in the coral sea waters. The east coast of australia offers excellent opportunities for whale watching, especially along the coasts of new south wales and queensland. The septemberoctober period is prime whale watching season in. All eyes are on the horizon as the countdown begins to the official start of the sunshine coast whale watching season. And some of the best spots are closer to you than you might think.
Get the latest sightings, learn whale facts and plan your next coastal adventure. Top 8 whale watching spots in nsw from may to november each year, australias east coast transforms into a whale watching hot spot, with vast numbers heading north to breed after a summer spent feeding in antarctic waters. The humpback whale migration passing sydney takes place between april and december each year. You probably wont be able to see the whale under water, but you will be able to tell where the whale is. May 08, 2019 the whale watching season in sydney is between may and november each year but some times are better than others to increase your chances of seeing whales. Matthew bendt theyre amazing animals and you dont always get the chance to see them like. Many of these coastal parks and reserves provide excellent viewing opportunities for whale watching. Best whale watching spots in the shoalhaven jervis bay wild boat tour. Thousands of whales are seen from highlight locations including. A wide variety of whales are seen on our whale watching tours including humpbacks, southern rights, fin whales, brydes whales, sei whales, blue whales, and killer whales, and large pods of dolphins are an added delight. Whale watching in south coast results 1 19 of 19 switch to map30. Turn left off the princes highway just south of moruya, into south head road, drive toward the coast, and up around the headland 10 minutes drive. The overall whale watching season in the greater fraser island area typically begins in late july and lasts through to late november, so if youre looking to get the best out of two of the most visually impressive naturebased destinations in qld, then a trip to fraser island during whale watching season is a great choice that can make for.
Winter offers whale watching tours june to october 9. It is considered one of the best locations in the whole of nsw to see whales. South coast whale watching from whale watching cruises to clifftop lookouts in scenic national parks, there are many ways to enjoy whale watching season on the beautiful nsw south coast. You can take a cruise with cat balou cruises or watch from the shore at boyds tower or. Whale oil was used for making candles and soap, and in industrial processes such as tanning and ropemaking. Ms farrell said each year, whale numbers had increased by at least 10 per cent. Whale watching nsw whale watching season, activities.
There are excellent vantage points in sydney and whale watching cruises out on the water where you can see these giants of the deep at play. During the 5,000 kilometre journey, whales pass along australias coasts including the new south wales coast near sydney. Created 16 may 2010 for whale watchers and all who love the sea. See how the season progresses with the whale sightings counter. Whale watching season the season starts towards the end of may, peaking in late june with mammals still heading north to mozambique in julyaugust. Right on cue, the east australian current eac has started to make its presence felt along the nsw coast, with reports of marlin and 20kgplus dolphin fish as far south as sydney already. South coast whale watching season approaching the west. The humpback whale is known for their long migration journeys each winter, putting on a magnificent display of breaching, tail slapping and spy hopping as they make their way to warmer waters.
Keep an eye on this page for activities, tours, and accommodation offers in our national parks this whale watching season. Whales are becoming a favorite fascination of beach goers and tourists alike. In warnambool, victoria, blue whales are occasionally seen in may. Tens of thousands of whales are expected to pass through the best whale watching spots on the nsw coast. For those looking to escape the crowds of brisbane or if hervey bay is a bit to far to travel. The migrating population is named the group 5 southern hemisphere humpback whale population or the australian east coast humpbacks. Over recent years, whale numbers have risen substantially along the nsw south coast. In 2018, it was estimated that about 33,000 humpback whales made the journey from south to north and back again. Yet the nsw south coast is more than just its magnificent natural environment. One of australias few places where humpbacks feed leading to extended stays and the unique killer whale museum for whale buffs. New south whales whale sightings on wild about whales app. Jervis bay, sydney, port stephens, port macquarie and byron. The humpback whale is commonly seen bypassing us, heading to southern mozambique to mate gestation period one year and calf the next year. This lookout offers whale watching views north along the coast, interpretive signage about whales and marine life courtesy of national parks, limited parking, some seating and an historic graveyard.
Southern right whales may arrive in our waters anytime through to october. Available for android and ios, download the wild about whales app and log. Whale season 2018 is upon us, and our whale watching tours will be running daily from now until midnovember. There are a number of different migration and whale seasons. From midjune to early november, our coastline becomes a playground for the. The best place on the central coast for whale watching. The best spots for whale watching on the south coast this.
Each year the whales migrate north to escape the cool waters of the south and as a result, we on land have the whale watching season. To engage in whale watching, you can go out on a boat but whales are often observable from shore. Whale watching season is about to kickoff on the central coast. Whale watching season starts in nsw abc news australian. Sep 16, 2015 when a pod of whales tucked into a feeding frenzy on the nsw south coast there was plenty on the menu even enough for a surprise guest. Orrca conducts a whale count or census on the last weekend of june every year. During whalewatching season, youll see these majestic mammals from many headlands in sydney and at destinations from byron bay in the north to eden in the south. The sunshine coast benefits from a longer whale watching season as the whale passby on their migration north then return as they head south again to the arctic. Its hoped a record number of humpback and southern right whales will pass the nsw coast this year. December to may hawaii is a fine place to catch sight of whales. New south wales offers excellent whale watching opportunities from a number of key destinations across the state. During whalewatching season, youll see these majestic mammals from many headlands in sydney and at destinations from byron bay in the north to eden in the south more than 50 per cent of the planets species of cetaceans.
Select a region to find the perfect whale watching spot for you. Or head south and walk out to broulee island connected to the. Narooma whale watching narooma charters see whales. You will also see dolphins surf the wake of the vessel as it. New south wales national parks and wildlife took an active role in 2010 during the peak southern whale watching season between may and november with the launch. From jervis bay to eden, tim the yowie man shares his tips about where to see these. Sunshine coast whale watching whale watch tour bookings. Whales migrate in their thousands along the nsw coast, which stretches more than 2,000 km. The season is split into two distinct sections depending on the direction of travel of the majority of whales at that time. Whale and dolphin watching department of agriculture. Its time to get wild about whales and you can follow the migration online with. Whale watching twice each year ulladulla experiences the migration of several species of whales. Whale watching tours and coastal activities take place at nsw national parks all along the coast.
From tweed to eden, the nsw coast provides perfect vantage points to see these majestic ocean giants. Whale watching in australia is a popular recreational pursuit and a tourist activity along various coasts. Each time the whale moves its tail, it creates a footprint on the surface of the water. The catch of the 2005 season dec 05mar 06 inside the sanctuary included 856. Davidson whaling station, near eden on the nsw south coast, was the longest operating whaling station in australia. Whales have already been spotted off was south coast as they begin their annual migration along the coast. Whale watching season for southern rights in this region is between june and october, when they swim closest to the shores. Plan your next coastal adventure with australias first official whale watching guide to new south whales. This historic township was once a major whaling station, and a siren was blasted to alert the harpoonists that a whale was passing. The crew has 30 years of local experience of albanys waters and landscape, not only competent sailors, but considerate and friendly carers. Heres our top 5 favourite whale pictures taken off albany.
Whale watch tour bookings nsw new south wales offers excellent whale watching opportunities from a number of key destinations across the state. From whale beach to bondi, there are plenty of chances to see these grand monarchs of the deep. The sheer size of these magestic creatures splashing and frolicking right up close to your boat is an experience like no other, and will leave you captivated with the beauty of these mammals and their young as they migrate along the east coast of australia. The best place on the central coast for whale watching abc. The end of winter signals the start of the fishaggreagtingdevice or fad season in nsw. Top 8 whale watching spots in nsw australian geographic. Weve been walking sydneys coastline for years, so here are our tips on how to take advantage of nature to get the best out of your whale watching time. The best time for whale watching in this region, however, is between july and september.
After a whale takes a breath, it usually makes a shallow dive, swimming just under the surface of the water for about one minute or more. Whale watching in nsw more than 30,000 whales make their way along the nsw coast from may to november each year. New south wales whale watching whale watch tour bookings. Nsw whale watching season wild about whales nsw national. Whale watching on the gold coast if youd rather keep your feet on the ground but still yearn for the special experience of seeing a whale, australias east coast is the best place to spot whales from the beach. Whale watching season in eden stretches from the end of september through to november. In eastern australia, whale watching occurs in many spots along the pacific coast. Experience the natural phenomenon that is whale migration season from various locations around the coast of australia. Season the peak whale watching season along the south african coast is from july through october when the southern right whale is resident along the cape south coast and humpback whales frequent the waters off the elephant coast in kawzulu natal. Migaloo, the famous white humpback whale, has been spotted off the nsw coast in a mass annual migration that reportedly includes a juvenile whale that shares his white hue. Best time for whale watching in australia about australia. Receive notifications when whale sightings are logged along the coast.
Whale watching adventures in south coast nsw visit nsw. Amid the pod of humpback whales in waters out of eden, an. Whale watching in sydney official sydney tourism website. Peak calving season is july and august, but whales can still be seen through september and october. With 30,000 humpbacks migrating south, this spring is proving to be the best whale watching season in years. Whale watching season starts in nsw posted june 01, 2011 10. Whale watching north coast nsw queensland, wynnum manly, australia. The distance from the coast of the whales is believed to be based on the movements of the ocean. There are excellent vantage points in sydney and whalewatching cruises out on the water where you can see these giants of the deep at play. Every year along the southern coast of australia youll see southern right whales migrate to the bays of victoria and south australia to give birth. The ten best spots for whale watching on the nsw coast. The sunshine coast whale watching season runs each year from july to november with.
The best time to see whales in popular destinations throughout the east coast ranges between may through july and september through november. From headlands, whales may often be seen making their migration south. Seal surfs on the back of a whale on the nsw south coast. It is the only shorebased whaling station in eastern australia that retains significant remains of its whaling use. The migration of humpback whales near nsw coast takes place between may and november. Best whale watching spots in the shoalhaven shoalhaven tourism. Jervis bay is halfway along the whales 5,000km migration route, and they often stop here to rest and play with newborn calves. Each year, from may to november, more than 30,000 whales make their way along the humpback highway, a migration route from antarctica to the pacific that runs along the coast of nsw. Migaloo the white whale spotted with friend off nsw coast. Fortunately these days the siren is still sounded, but only to alert the public that whales are nearby. You can also download the free wild about whales app to help locate whales close to you. A much smaller population occurs along the coast of eastern south australia, tasmania, victoria and new south wales. Whale watching is growing in popularity and people are becoming increasingly aware of these gentle giants of the sea.
The great southern whale season has officially kicked off. Head to the home of the eden whale festival along the south coast, eden. They head north to the warm coastal waters of queensland and the coral sea to mate and give birth from late april to august, and return southwards from around september to november. Whale watching from land, south coast nsw eurobodalla. Every year, whales migrate along the nsw coastline. From eden in the south to byron in the north each location is witness to the majesty of the humpback whale migration. From may to november, the pacific coast migration goes from south to north and back again as. Known as the humpback highway, humpback and southern right whales are the most commonly sighted, but you may also spot orcas, blue whales, minke whales and sperm whales. It is an important centre for the traditional australian family holiday and in january, you may have to book ahead, as australian families have their summer holidays at the coast. From midjune to early november, our coastline becomes a.
Jun 19, 2014 the best place on the central coast for whale watching. Whale watching is a popular pastime in sydney in the winter and spring. Whale watching, albany wa rainbow coast, south coast of. Find the best whale watching locations, cruises and other coastal activities within nsw national parks. The season can be split into two parts depending on the direction of travel for the majority of whales during this time. From whalewatching cruises to clifftop lookouts in scenic national parks, there are many ways to enjoy whale watching season on the beautiful nsw south coast. Whale watching south coast accommodation kzn southcoast. Coast guard captain and marine biologist with the charter company, wild side hawaii, noted that 18 species of toothed whales and at least six species of baleen whales have been documented in hawaiian waters. Whales along the south coast of western australia near albany, denmark and walpole. When a pod of whales tucked into a feeding frenzy on the nsw south coast there was plenty on the menu even enough for a surprise guest. Whale and dolphin watching department of agriculture, water. The best time for watching the southern right whale in south african waters is from june to november along the cape south coast, and wild coas. From may to november such sightings become a possibility as some 20 000 whales travel along the nsw coast on their annual migration to warmer waters. Brydes whales can be seen off the south african coast year round, albeit further out.
See whale pics and stories on facebook with eurobodalla tourism. South coast whale watching from whalewatching cruises to clifftop lookouts in scenic national parks, there are many ways to enjoy whale watching season on the beautiful nsw south coast. South east queensland is one of the best places to view these amazing creatures, with up to 33,000 whales expected to journey past moreton island this. From may to november, the pacific coast migration goes from south to north and back again as the whales seek warmer water for the winter months. Why not see one of natures great ocean migrations for yourself. Humpbacks on the move off nsw with 2019 migration season. Get wild about whales and plan your coastal whale watching adventure now. Whale app app wild about whales nsw national parks. You will also see dolphins surf the wake of the vessel as it moves along at a steady speed.
Take the plunge and explore our parks, go whale watching and discover what there is to see and do. Blogs and local stories inclusive holidays pets on holidays download. Seal rides on the back of a whale on the nsw south coast. Due to its limited numbers and slow rate of recovery the eastern population of southern right whales is very vulnerable to humaninduced impacts, including disturbance from vessels, swimmers and surfers. Whale species and albany whale watching tours on the south coast, the rainbow coast. Whale watching australia 2017 sydney, gold coast, hervey. Between may and november, thousands of majestic humpback and southern right whales make their way along the coast in an incredible annual migration. Enjoy panoramic views from meroo head lookout in meroo national park north of batemans bay. The whale watching season in sydney is between may and november each year but some times are better than others to increase your chances of seeing whales. Planning a whalewatching route south african whalewatching territory runs from doringbaai, south of.
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