Located off the east coast of Queensland in Australia, Fraser Island whale watching tours is the world’s largest sand island and a wildly popular tourist destination. People come from far and wide to enjoy the beautiful beaches and see unique wildlife both on land and in the ocean. One of the biggest draws to the island is the chance to see the majestic humpback whales that congregate just offshore. If you’re planning on doing some whale watching during your visit, these are some things to expect on Fraser Island whale watching tours.

The Best Time to See the Whales is Between July and November

In the early months of the year, about 60,000 humpback whales migrate from Antarctica to the warmer waters north of Australia. Fraser Island is a prime stopping point along the way because of its calm, sheltered bays where the whales can relax, mate and raise their calves. Between July and November, the waters are usually teeming with whales. When the waters around Australia start to get too warm around October or November, the whales start making the trip back to the rich feeding grounds in Antarctica.

Hervey Bay is the Most Popular Whale Watching Destination

Hervey Bay was designated as the world’s first Whale Heritage Site by the World Cetacean Alliance because of the sheer number of humpback whales that gather in this body of water to the west of Fraser Island. Many of the whales return to the site every year and are completely at ease because they are taking a break from their migrations either north or south. On any given day, you can expect to see various pods of whales cavorting in the waters during your whale watching tour. Even better, you can rest assured that the whales in Hervey Bay are protected and the tours are sustainably run.

You Can Get Up Close and Personal With the Whales

Although whale watching boats can only go as close as 100 metres from the whales so as not to disturb their pods or movements, you may find that the whales will come right up to your boat. The humpback whales around Fraser Island are very curious about visitors and many of them even like to show off by slapping their fins and breaching the waters right next to the boats. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for you to see whales in their natural habitat and see their behaviour up close and personal.