Hervey Bay Whale Watching Experience
Overview
Available languages
5 hours
Mobile ticket
An unforgettable 1/2 day adventure on Hervey Bay's premium mid-sized 1/2 day whale watching and charter boat; with a strong focus on ecological practices, sustainability, education, inspiration and enjoyment!
Experience close whale encounters (when the whales are so close to the boat that you could almost touch them), pec/tail slapping, breaching, spy-hopping and mating behaviours.
As the newest 1/2 day boat in the fleet, this boat was built specifically for amazing whale and dolphin viewing. Low passenger numbers (only take maximum 75% of capacity), means everyone has a chance to get a great view of the action from both inside and outside the vessel (with multi-level viewing decks).
Two daily cruises to choose from. The ONLY 1/2 day cruise boat to include meals (lunch on the morning cruise and dinner on the afternoon cruise).
Listen to the whales 'sing' with our hydrophone and enjoy a live commentary in English (French, German, Italian and Spanish translation also).
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
Subject to favorable weather conditions. If canceled due to poor weather, you will be given the option of an alternative date
We recommend bringing comfortable shoes, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat
In the event that no whales are spotted, you will receive a return ticket to come again at a future date
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
We'll depart from the Great Sandy Straits Marina out towards Platypus Bay, where the mighty Humpback Whales come to rest and play. Some of the behaviours we'll observe are: breaching, spy-hopping, pec-slapping, tail-slapping and lunges. We usually see our resident bottlenose dolphins playing with their Humpback whale friends too. Cruising alongside the West Coast of K'gari (Fraser Island), we may even be lucky enough to spot a dingo. Our 1/2 day morning or afternoon cruise will leave you with cherished memories to last a lifetime. Choose from our Extended Morning (5 hour cruise) or our Afternoon + Sunset (4 hour cruise). Fun, educational, interesting, inspirational and amazing are just some of the ways to describe a Whale Watch experience with Whalesong. Join us to tick off an incredible bucket list experience.
What‘s Included
Expert commentary - translated by our multilingual crew (German, French, Spanish, Italian)
Hydrophone and underwater cameras to listen to and view the Humpback Whales
AM departure - Morning tea and buffet lunch
PM departure - Antipasto platter (afternoon tea) and Buffet dinner
Hotel pickup and drop-off from Hervey Bay accommodations
Filtered water, tea, herbal tea, coffee and milo
Multi-level viewing decks
Drinks and snacks (available for purchase on board)
Souvenirs (available for purchase on board)
Pickup points
Riviera Resort
386 The Esplanade, Torquey Hervey Bay Australia
Sunseeker Motel
354 Charlton Esplanade Scarness Australia
Delfinos Bay Resort
383 Esplanade, Torquay Australia
White Crest Apartments, Hervey Bay
397 Esplanade, Torquay Australia
Options
Family - Afternoon Whale Watch
Duration: 4 hours: Enjoy the afternoon light whilst watching the Humpback Whales, with a beautiful sunset on the return journey
Afternoon tea + buffet dinner: Also enjoy filtered drinking water, tea, herbal tea, coffee and milo for the entire cruise.
Afternoon + Sunset Whale Watch: A whale watch and sunset cruise in one...what a combination!
Pickup included
Family - Morning Whale Watch
Duration: 5 hours: With the Extended Morning Whale watch, you and your family will get an extra hour to experiences Humpback Whale encounters.
Morning tea and buffet lunch: Also enjoy filtered drinking water, loose leaf tea, herbal tea, coffee and milo for the entire cruise
Extra time: Great option for families who want longer than a 1/2 day but don't want 3/4 or a full day on the water.
Pickup included
Afternoon + Sunset Whale watch
Squeeze in a whale watch cruise in on the same day you arrive and enjoy the sunset on the way back to the Marina.
Duration: 4 hours
Afternoon tea + buffet dinner: Filtered drinking water, loose leaf tea, herbal tea, coffee and milo
Pickup included
Extended Morning Whale watch
Whalesong's Morning Cruise will get you out on the Bay & interacting with the whales before the other boats, but still back in time to be able to make use of your afternoon.
Duration: 5 hours
Morning tea and buffet lunch: Filtered drinking water, loose leaf tea, herbal tea, coffee and milo
Pickup included
Reviews
557 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
A Whale of a Time!
PhilnKimD,,Oct 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This is a retirement bucket list item ticked off! What an amazing experience. Thanks to the crew, the whales for showing up and the amazing weather for the perfect day! The commentary from the Captain was so good! Did this in mid-September and there were so many whales! I would definitely do this again with Whalesong!
Whales seen
Safari47954915177,,Sep 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Enjoyed the trip out, the crew and Skipper were very helpful. It would have been nice to get a bit closer to the whales, but the Skipper did his best. Luck of the draw I suppose as to how close you can get or how close they come .
Whalesong
Bradley A,,Sep 26, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00This was a great experience The crew were very friendly, The catering was great The food was perfect
Great day out on the water.
Rebecca I,,Sep 25, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Very friendly staff and plenty of room to see the whales. Accommodated for my gluten free diet. A great day out with friends 9n the water watching the whales.
Great day
862joannw,,Sep 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was a great experience even though it was quite windy. Had a very enjoyable day. Saw lots of whales even though no breaching. Crew where really helpful
Pick up from motel, professional but fun crew, magical time seeing many whales. Highly recommended
Rebecca M,,Sep 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Incredible experience from ease of pickup from motel to seeing and hearing about the whales that kept surrounding the boat to the drop off. Highly recommended
Whale watching in Hervey Bay
winold,,Aug 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Fabulous! We did the 5 hour morning tour, and loved it so much that 2 days later we did the 4 hour afternoon tour. Saw heaps of whales, experienced a whale 'mugging' on both trips. Plenty of room to move to get right around the outside of the boat to view the whales. Friendly crew, great service!
More than Whales
lutzy,,Aug 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I chose Whalesong Cruises for the great reviews and because they offered a three-cruise pass which allowed me to increase my chances of seeing and photographing whales at an affordable price during a two-day stay in Hervey Bay. On two of my outings the weather was mostly overcast, but on my last trip the sky was blue, which made all the difference to photography. The whale sightings were excellent each time, although the whales seemed a bit more active during the afternoon. But this was just my experience. The morning cruise lasts five hours, the afternoon one four. It tends to take around 45 minutes of travelling time to reach the “playground of the whales”, so being “fed” on the way there and back is a good move to battle boredom while there is not all that much to see on the open sea. The food was ample and delicious (although the same lunch/dinner three times in a row can be a challenge to the taste buds), and there was complimentary tea/coffee/milo throughout. The crew cannot be praised enough, they were of the working visa type, engaging, cheerful, and enthusiastic. The skipper was a great whale spotter and happy to share his knowledge of the whales and their behaviour. There was plenty of space around the boat, so everyone had a chance to see the humpbacks close up. I have been on smaller boats as well as larger ones, and Whalesong is just the right size for a relaxed yet exciting morning/afternoon of whale watching.
Magic!!
Renpvisser,,Aug 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had booked with Blue Dolphin Tours. A catamaran where you are on board with max 24 guests. Close to the water and therefore very close to the whales that swam and played in groups with us. A group of 4 swam around us for 1.5 hours. Amazing!! We could get our feet in the water and were very close without disturbing the animals. Truly a magical experience.
Wonderful experience
Kay M,,Aug 18, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Absolutely loved the experience would do again next year. Only one change would make sure we had warmer clothes it was fresh on the water Great tour great staff definitely worth every cent spent for the day
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