AN UNMISSABLE WHALE WATCHING TOUR FROM HERVEY BAY AUSTRALIA WITH BLUE DOLPHIN: OUR HONEST REVIEW
LOOKING FOR THE BEST WHALE WATCHING TOUR FROM HERVEY BAY?
THE BEST TOUR WHALE WATCHING TOUR OPERATOR FROM HERVEY BAY
Though there are a few whale watching tour operators in Hervey Bay, our recommended tour company (that we personally used, experienced and loved on the Fraser Island Whale Watch Encounter tour) is the reputable Blue Dolphin Marine Tours:
ABOUT BLUE DOLPHIN: WHY BOOK WITH THEM?
Blue Dolphin Marine Tours is one of the most exclusive eco-tourism and acclaimed whale watching tour operators in Hervey Bay. They offer unforgettable yet respectful close encounters with humpback whales from the comfort of their award-winning sailing vessel.
The tours are run personally by resident skipper Peter Lynch, who has over 35 years experience with marine mammals, including rescue and rehabilitation. From our first hand experience, Peter is an engaging skipper whose passion and wealth of knowledge makes this tour even more invaluable.
WHAT IS INCLUDED ON THE BLUE DOLPHIN WHALE WATCH ENCOUNTER TOUR?
Below are all the inclusions you can expect on this full-day Fraser Island Whale Watch Encounter tour with Blue Dolphin:
• A maximum of 24 passengers, making it a much more intimate and stressless experience.
• Morning and afternoon tea and cakes.
• Delicious full buffet lunch with a complimentary drink (wine, beer or soft drinks).
• Courtesy pick-up and drop off at your accommodation if required (arrange with them in advance).
• An on-board hydrophone to listen to the humpback whales underwater songs!
• If the weather conditions and sea conditions are calm, there is an exclusive in-water platform at the back of the boat for a fully immersive experience in the water with the whales!
• Plenty of shaded seating areas, inside and out.
• Spacious and modern toilet facilities on-board.
HOW MUCH DOES THIS BLUE DOLPHIN WHALE WATCHING TOUR FROM HERVEY BAY COST IN 2024?
In 2024, the price for the full-day whale watching tour with Blue Dolphin Marine tours is $185 AUD per adult – approximately £96 in GBP. A child ticket is $150 AUD, approximately £86.
WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE DAY OF YOUR FULL DAY WHALE WATCHING TOUR FROM HERVEY BAY: THE SCHEDULE
ON ARRIVAL
Make your way to the Great Sandy Straits marina, the meeting point for this tour, for 7.15am to check in. Clasp a complimentary warm cup of tea or coffee as you run through the important safety talk. Once complete, and everyone is accounted for, the boat will depart bright and early at approximately 7.30am!
(We suggest staying at Mantra Hervey Bay hotel the night before, it is located right next to the marina and is only a 2-minute walk away!)
There is the option to arrange hotel pick-up / drop-off too if your accommodation is not within walking distance.
SET SAIL TOWARDS THE HUMPBACK WHALE PLAYGROUND!
Sail 1 hour out towards the best playground spot for the humpback whales in Hervey Bay! On route, bask in the sunshine on deck, chat with your fellow tour mates and indulge Peter’s fascinating facts about the whales.
Have your first magical encounter with a whale pod before another round of tea and coffee is offered (at approx. 11am) with scrumptious treats such as cookies and muffins!
HAVE A DELICIOUS LUNCH & SEE MULTIPLE DIFFERENT PODS OF WHALES!
Spend the early afternoon venturing to different spots in Hervey Bay in search for multiple humpback whale pods! If you’re lucky, the whales will take interest in the boat, spy-hopping, circling underneath, spinning and popping their heads up to say hello! They come so close (on their own accord) you can see every detail on them!
During this time, you will also have a huge and delicious lunch buffet, including things such as: cold meats, cooked chicken, smoked salmon, mixed salad and pasta. Blue Dolphin cater for all dietary requirements, including vegetarian, gluten free and dairy free. Just let them know in advance and they will be more than happy to accommodate you!
This epic Fraser Island Whale Watch Encounter tour with Blue Dolphin concludes at approximately 3.30pm, arriving back into the Great Sandy Straits marina.
HERVEY BAY WHALE WATCHING SEASON 2024:
“KNOW BEFORE YOU GO” FAQ’S
WHEN DOES WHALE WATCHING START IN HERVEY BAY? WHAT ARE THE BEST MONTHS TO SEE WHALES IN HERVEY BAY?
Hervey Bay’s whale watching season is officially from July to October, with whale watching tours from Hervey Bay beginning mid July and ending late October.
To maximise your chance of seeing as many humpback whales as possible, the best months to see whales in Hervey Bay is early August to late September – when numbers of adult humpback whales and their calves are bountiful!
While humpback whales can stay in Hervey Bay until as late as November, due to the minimal numbers, the whale watching tours will commonly stop around 31st October.
ARE WHALE WATCHING TOURS FROM HERVEY BAY BETTER IN THE MORNING OR AFTERNOON?
Rather than deciding on a morning or afternoon tour, we would simply recommend a full-day tour to fully maximise your chances of seeing as many of these gentle giants as possible throughout the day!
WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO WHALE WATCH IN QUEENSLAND?
Though it is possible to spot whales in multiple places along the east coast of Australia, the best place to whale watch in Queensland is absolutely Hervey Bay.
Incredibly, up to 16,000 humpback whales stop and “holiday” in Hervey Bay every year without fail to take a much needed break from their long migrational 10,000km journey to their Great Barrier Reef breeding lagoons.
At least half of the migrating whales stop and play in Hervey Bay, meaning roughly 8,000 individual whales to potentially spot!
WHY DO SO MANY HUMPBACK WHALES VISIT HERVEY BAY?
The main question is, why is it that so many Humpback Whales visit Hervey Bay? The shape of Hervey Bay provides a shallow protected area for them to simply relax and play!
These relaxed humpback whales in Hervey Bay soon become curious of their surroundings, and have thus formed a unique relationship with the whale watching fleet at Hervey Bay, happily and willingly approaching and circling their boats!
It’s safe to say, a whale watching tour from Hervey Bay truly is one of the most intimate whale encounters you will experience in the world!
CAN YOU SEE WHALES FROM THE SHORE IN HERVEY BAY?
The humpback whales in Hervey Bay are known for their love of acrobatics: spy hopping, jumping out of the waters and flapping their fins. They certainly make themselves visible, and it is even possible to spot distant movement out on the ocean from the shores of Hervey Bay.
However, in order to truly see these beautiful gentle giants up close, a whale watching tour from Hervey Bay is essential and one of the best things do in Hervey Bay!
CONCLUSION: WHALE WATCHING TOUR FROM HERVEY BAY
In conclusion, we believe that this whale watching tour with Blue Dolphin is absolutely worth it. As well as being amongst a highly professional and knowledgable team, it provides the best and most ethical opportunity in Australia to see playful humpback whales up close!
As soon as you know your dates, don’t hesitate and book your spot on the Fraser Island Whale Watch Encounter tour. You are in safe hands with Blue Dolphin are guaranteed to have a magical day that you will never forget.
WHALE WATCHING PACKING LIST
WHAT TO WEAR FOR A WHALE WATCHING TOUR:
- Your swimsuit.
- Sun protective clothing, including a hat and sunglasses.
WHAT TO BRING FOR A WHALE WATCHING TOUR:
- Refillable water bottle.
- Powered battery pack (and cable) for your smart phone.
- A GoPro / waterproof camera to capture amazing footage!
- A microfibre beach towel (fast drying & lightweight).
- A spare waterproof bag to store your wet towel / swimsuit after your tour.
- High factor sun cream.
WHERE TO STAY IN HERVEY BAY
When choosing where to stay in Hervey Bay, it’s important to note Hervey Bay is huge and stretches for miles. For most whale watching tours and Fraser Island tours, the best area to stay in Hervey Bay is Urangan, East coast of Hervey Bay.
The meeting point for the Blue Dolphin whale watching tour is Great Sandy Straits Marina.
Listed below are the two different Hervey Bay accommodations where we personally stayed in Urangan and would highly recommend.
⭐ Mantra Hervey Bay
(premium, 1 min walk from Great Sandy Straits marina)
⭐ Colonial Village Resort
(budget, 14 min walk from Great Sandy Straits marina)
WHERE TO PARK IN HERVEY BAY
Luckily, there is a large free public car park to use, located just a short 300 metre distance (4 minute walk) from the Great Sandy Straits marina.
GETTING TO HERVEY BAY
GETTING TO HERVEY BAY BY AIR:
Hervey Bay does in fact have its own airport, so it is possible to fly directly to Hervey Bay on many internal flight routes from Australia.
The most convenient is a 50 minute direct flight from Brisbane (BNE) to Hervey Bay (HVB) with Qantas airlines. There are usually 2 to 3 flights a day ranging from £100-£120 dependant on your selected day. The flight from Brisbane is the only direct flight into Hervey Bay.
It is possible to fly into Hervey Bay from other large Australian cities (such as Melbourne, Sydney), though this includes the stop at Brisbane first. Check SkyScanner for the best deals.
On arrival into Hervey Bay airport (HVB), grab an on-site taxi, UBER or even rent a car from just £57 a day!
GETTING TO HERVEY BAY BY BUS:
Arriving into Hervey Bay by bus is the best way for anyone travelling up the East Coast. The Greyhound Australia bus offers a flexible and affordable hop-on, hop off ticket covering from Sydney to Cairns, or vice-versa!
You will be dropped off at Stocklands Hervey Bay shopping centre, a 13-minute drive to Great Sandy Straits marina, Urangan. From here, we would advise jumping in an UBER – which you can book as soon as you arrive on the app.
GETTING TO HERVEY BAY BY CAR:
For those who want to explore Hervey Bay and the surrounding area on their own time, a popular option is to rent a car for multiple days. If you do not have your own car, check out DiscoverCars.com for the best deals on your dates!
CAN YOU GET TO HERVEY BAY BY TRAIN?
Unfortunately, there is no train station at Hervey Bay. However, the closest train station to Hervey Bay is Maryborough West.
If you were to get a direct train to Maryborough, you can hop on the 705 bus (25 minute drive) into Hervey Bay. You would then need to arrange a further UBER or taxi to get to your final destination of Urangan.
HOW TO GET AROUND HERVEY BAY
As mentioned previously, Hervey Bay is very vast. To get explore all areas of Hervey Bay, you would need to either catch a bus, taxi or Uber as it will be too far to walk.
If you were looking to just stay in the Urangan area, once you are there it is walkable. For example, the walk from Great Sandy Straits marina to Urangan Pier is a leisurely 20 minute scenic coastal walk.
GETTING AROUND HERVEY BAY ON FOOT
If you were looking to just stay in the Urangan area (the best area for whale watching tours in Hervey Bay and Fraser Island tours), once you are there it is walkable.
For example, the walk from Great Sandy Straits marina to Urangan Pier is a leisurely 20 minute scenic coastal walk.
GETTING AROUND HERVEY BAY BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT
As mentioned previously, Hervey Bay as a full area is very vast. To get explore all areas of Hervey Bay, you would need to either catch a Translink bus, taxi or Uber as it will be too far to walk.
HOW TO GET AROUND OUTSIDE OF HERVEY BAY
For those who not rely on public transport and would rather explore further afield by themselves, you can rent a car for multiple days to explore freely with no restraints on your itinerary. This is a great option if you have extended time in the Southern Queensland region.
OTHER THINGS TO DO IN HERVEY BAY
VISIT URANGAN PIER
After you’ve completed your whale watching tour with Blue Dolphin, spend just a day wondering the quiet residential town of Hervey Bay. A key spot to see is the historical Urangan Pier, the longest pier in Australia at approx. 1km!
You will see many fisherman lined up along the edges, with plenty of Pelicans perched waiting to steal some fish!
VISIT FRASER ISLAND ON A DAY OR MULTI DAY TOUR!
One of the other best things to do from Hervey Bay is take a trip to nearby Fraser Island. Click for a full review on our recommend 2 day Fraser Island tour!
This blog post was written by Jordie Flain!
Founder of TheFlainsTravel.com
A travel-obsessed Sagittarius creating honest, easy-to-follow guides. Powered by tea, chocolate and a slightly concerning amount of tomato ketchup.
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