Australia’s Whitsunday whale watching season begins

The Whitsunday whale watching season has officially commenced with the warm waters around Hamilton Island once again seeing the annual migration of humpback whales.

This period, between July and September, sees the sheltered waters of the Great Barrier Reef and Whitsunday Islands become a calving and nursery ground for humpback whales as they migrate north.

Visitors to Hamilton Island have a choice of whale watching options, not to mention the chance of seeing these gentle ocean giants from a hotel room balcony.

Fantasea Cruises (an Advanced Eco Certified operator) offers its popular whale-watching trips where boat engines are shut down so guests can view the whales, swimming in the near vicinity, in peace and quiet.

Hamilton Island Aviation offers scenic flights to Whitehaven Beach, the Great Barrier Reef and between the islands. Their fleet includes luxury helicopters, seaplanes and fixed wing aircraft. On most days, at this time of year, guests spot whales frolicking in the water.

Sea Kayaking Whitsunday (an Advanced Eco Certified operator) has had kayakers, who have set out from Hamilton Island Marina, report encounters with pods on kayaking tours.

Mike Mahoney, General Manager, Fantasea Cruises, said that "Visitors come from all over the world to see humpback whales in the Whitsundays and describe this as a life-changing experience. There is no feeling on earth that compares to that of sharing the sea with these fascinating marine mammals."

Fantasea's “Whale Watching Cruises” depart Hamilton Island on Saturdays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10.30am returning at approximately 3.30pm and are priced A$99 (£42) for adults and A$49 (£21) for children (5-15); family price (2 adults, 2 children) is A$247 (£106).

Prices include a full buffet lunch, complimentary tea/coffee and interpretive commentary. In the unusual event that whales are not sighted a ‘money back’ guarantee applies.

Whale Facts:

- Humpbacks grow up to 16 metres in length. Females are up to 1 metre longer than males
- Humpbacks can weigh up to 40 tonnes
- Humpback whales have been migrating annually from Antarctica to the warmer Whitsundays waters for thousands of years, mainly to give birth to their young.

Whale watching cruises can be undertaken and booked on arrival at Hamilton Island or visitors can book in advance with Travelmood (travelmood.com) whose packages start from £1,349 per person including return international and domestic flights with Qantas from Heathrow, five nights at Hamilton Island’s 3* Palm Terrace and a Fantasea Cruises whale watching cruise.

For further destination information visit Hamiltonisland.com.au.