Whale watching in Queensland
While you won’t see Melville’s legendary Moby Dick in the calm waters of Hervey Bay on Queensland's east coast, you may come across Nala, Roxanne, Cupid, Caesar, Merlin, Phantom, Venus and Raoul – who are just some of the humpback whales who’ve frequented the Fraser Coast in recent years and may make a cameo appearance again this season.
Humpback whales are naturally curious about objects in their environment and many are easily identifiable as individuals because of the markings on their fins and bodies – and none is more famous than ‘Migaloo the White Whale’, who has already been spotted off Queensland's Fraser Island in June.
This inquisitiveness and socialising behaviour has helped them become the mainstay of whale watching tourism in many locations around the world since the 1980s. And Hervey Bay is no exception, offering some of the best viewing this side of the east coast from August through October.
According to the Oceania Institute, humpback whales often show their tails before diving under the water and each has markings that make it unique. By taking photographs researchers can monitor the movements of individuals - with more than 1000 whales have been identified this way.
Hervey Bay’s patron whale Nala – who bucks this trend and was named after a character in the Lion King - was first seen in the Bay in 1992, has visited on and off since 1997 with a succession of calves, and was last seen two years ago.
In Roxanne’s case, her gentle manner saw her named after a classic ‘Sting’ song. Caesar was named in the traditional way because the patterns on his dorsal fin looked like his Roman namesake, as was Phantom whose large distinctive white mark, similar to the Phantom of the Opera’s trademark mask, on her right flank gave rise to her name.
Phantom’s calf, Raoul, was named after another character in Lloyd Webber’s famous opera. And if you don’t spot them, you may see Noname, Slaphappy, or Bonnie and Clyde swimming by.
The lifecycle of the southern humpback whale brings them into the Fraser Coast and Hervey Bay, which has helped the region become Australia’s top whale watching destination. Each May humpbacks leave the rich feeding grounds of Antarctica and make the annual 6000 kilometre journey to the breeding grounds in the warm waters of the Whitsundays, north of Fraser Island. Some of the females will give birth, while the others will mate.
After spending a short period of time in the Whitsunday area the whales start the long journey south, many of them coming into Platypus Bay for as long as five days, some staying for only a day.
It is believed that the shallow calm waters provide shelter giving the whales the opportunity to socialise and to give the new-born calves a chance to grow stronger before they continue south… and there’s always time for a spot of people-watching as the whale watch fleet heads out to meet them.
All the ways to see the whales . . .
This year Fraser Island’s Kingfisher Bay eco resort has again teamed with the pioneers of whale watching in Hervey Bay – Brian and Jill Perry and their Quick Cat II vessel – to run whale watching excursions direct from Fraser Island to Platypus Bay in search of Roxanne, Migaloo, Raoul or some new faces.
RESORT STYLE: Book Kingfisher Bay Resort’s two-night 'Fraser and Whales' package and experience Fraser’s mighty humpback whales and the diverse beauty of the world’s largest sand island in one spectacular location.
Package includes two night’s hotel accommodation on World Heritage-listed Fraser, breakfast, ferry transfers and a half-day whale watch cruise, with the pioneers of whale watching in the region, Brian and Jill Perry, for only $389pp (AUD) twin share.
Half-day whale watch tours are available from $105pp (AUD) for as part of the resort’s regular activity schedule. Visit kingfisherbay.com or book with your local travel agent.
Getting there
Fraser Island is just offshore from Hervey Bay on Australia’s east coast and Kingfisher Bay Resort ferry services depart from River Heads (secure parking is available).
Virgin Blue operates direct jet services daily from Sydney, with other major city connections. QantasLink also operates daily from Brisbane and the resort operates airport connections. QR Travel Train services run to Maryborough West rail station with shuttle transfers to Hervey Bay. Coach services operate from Queensland’s north and south into Hervey Bay.
For more information visit: kingfisherbay.com
