Fraser Island Whale Watch Encounter
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Hervey Bay, Australia
- 8 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Search for whales during this 8-hour wildlife-watching tour from Hervey Bay. Aboard a fully equipped catamaran that can accommodate up to 24 guests, sail out to Fraser Island's Platypus Bay. Climb on to the submerged platform to view whales in the water at a safe distance, and use the boat's hydrophone to hear their songs. Tea and a buffet lunch included.
- 8-hour whale watching tour to Platypus Bay on Fraser Island
- Travel via fully equipped, eco-friendly catamaran
- Watch whales from the boat's submerged platform
- Use a hydrophone to hear the whale songs
- Buffet lunch, tea, and refreshments provided
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
What's Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Professional guide
- Live commentary on board
- Coffee and/or Tea
- Lunch and beverage
- Afternoon tea
- National park fees
- Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Operating hours.7:30 am
What To Expect
Rise and shine for hotel pickup in Hervey Bay around 7:30am; then transfer to the waterfront in a tour vehicle. Board the 38-foot (12-meter) catamaran, fully equipped with eco-friendly features and docked in the Great Sandy Straits Marina.
Find a space to relax on the deck, which offers plenty of both sun and shade and can handle up to 24 guests. Watch the coastal scenery as the boat leaves the marina and heads for Platypus Bay on the western side of Frasier Island.
Once whales are spotted, the boat will approach and, at a safe and respectful distance, you'll get a chance to see the huge creatures in action. Climb onto the immersive platform that allows you to view the whales from in the water, or use the hydrophone to hear the whales calling to each other. Listen to commentary from your skipper, who has more than three decades' of experience working with marine mammals.
During the day, you'll be treated to morning and afternoon tea, as well as a buffet lunch. Alcoholic beverages are available for purchase.
End your day with the whales with convenient hotel drop-off once you return to land.
Find a space to relax on the deck, which offers plenty of both sun and shade and can handle up to 24 guests. Watch the coastal scenery as the boat leaves the marina and heads for Platypus Bay on the western side of Frasier Island.
Once whales are spotted, the boat will approach and, at a safe and respectful distance, you'll get a chance to see the huge creatures in action. Climb onto the immersive platform that allows you to view the whales from in the water, or use the hydrophone to hear the whales calling to each other. Listen to commentary from your skipper, who has more than three decades' of experience working with marine mammals.
During the day, you'll be treated to morning and afternoon tea, as well as a buffet lunch. Alcoholic beverages are available for purchase.
End your day with the whales with convenient hotel drop-off once you return to land.
1
Hervey Bay
2
Platypus Bay
3
K'gari (Fraser Island)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- Children must be accompanied by an adult (best suited to children 8 years and older due to the length of the tour)
- Vegetarian, Vegan and Gluten Free options are available, please advise at time of booking if required
- Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund.
- Tour may be cancelled due to adverse weather conditions
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 24 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Kevin_C
This was the most amazing up close encounter with humpback whales that I have ever experienced. The crew were informative, welcoming & went above & beyond my expectations to ensure that we had a fantastic day. The whales were so inquisitive, they surrounded us & put on an amazing performance. The food was endless & delicious. This was a day to remember forever.
Reviews
5.0
based on 466 reviews
Kevin_C, Aug 2024
This was the most amazing up close encounter with humpback whales that I have ever experienced. The crew were informative, welcoming & went above & beyond my expectations to ensure that we had a fantastic day. The whales were so inquisitive, they surrounded us & put on an amazing performance. The food was endless & delicious. This was a day to remember forever.
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Hi Kevin, thank you for choosing to join Blue Dolphin for our whale encounters. The whales are amazing and it is very special when they decide to come over. This is what makes Hervey Bay so different. It is these young whales that tend to be the curious ones and August is the time they are in the bay.
We are very happy you have also enjoyed the rest of the tour from the food to the crew. We are lucky to have the best team in the bay,
Thanks Peter
Rebecca_W, Aug 2024
Wow!! What a day! A fabulous trip, Peter and Cassey welcomed us onto the boat and gave so much information about what to expect and the different types of whales. They were realistic about the possibility of not seeing any whales but kept us informed through out. We did however have a spectacular day seeing 9 humpbacks at one time. The beauty of the small boat is its ability to calmly wait and allow the whales to come and explore around it. A limited number of passengers on board meant you could move around the vessel easily without getting in other people’s photos. The snacks and buffet were amazing . Well worth the money.
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Thank for for your amazing review.
I know the day you were on when we started with 3 whales and we spent time watching them more and more kept of swimming over. 9 in the end near the vessel and then the last 2 stayed and really gave us a great look.
Happy to hear you enjoyed our difference of smaller vessel and less guests.
Thank you for choosing Blue Dolphin and we hope to see you again,
Peter
JulieAnn_W, Jul 2024
I've been on a few whale watch tours but this is by far the best! Smaller boat and fewer people gets you closer to these majestic giants. The respect these guides show for all the sea life is beautiful. The best day ever!
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Thank you Julie and we couldn't agree more. Smaller is better. It is just such a better way to have an encounter with the whales. No loud P.A system droning on at you. We love face to face chatting with our guests and sharing our genuine passion for the marine environment. Thank you for joining us and sharing your thoughts. We hope to see you again,
Peter
Virginia_O, Oct 2023
The best trip we’ve done in Australia! Seeing the whales was amazing and we learnt so much about them and their behaviour during the day. We saw so many whales! We were so lucky to watch a mother bring her calf right up to the boat, and saw another pair breaching for about twenty minutes. It was amazing. The crew were wonderful and have such a passion for these creatures. There were so many snacks throughout the day and lunch was 10/10. It was worth the extra money to have more time on the water to see so many whales, which are clearly thriving in this marine park. Having a smaller group was great so you could get a good view and get to know others on the trip. Highly recommend, don’t hesitate to book.
Response from Host, Nov 2023
Thank you for your time in writing such a detailed and lovely review. Small groups are so much better as it is more personal and relaxing, a totally different experience with no microphones just chatting to the crew and each other. We are thrilled that you had such a good time and to say it was the best trip in Australia is a huge compliment so thank you very much from all the Blue Dolphin team.
Michael_J, Sep 2023
The staff and the captain were fantastic the yacht was beautiful the day was was it was a birthday gift for my wife she had never seen whales before loved next birthday will be hard to top this one
Response from Host, Sep 2023
That is so special, what a great hubby you are! Such a special moment to see whales for the first time and people are often bought to tears when they see these magnificent animals. Thank you for choosing Blue Dolphin as a special day for your wife. Glad she enjoyed it.
Many thanks
Jodie
Gavin_G, Aug 2022
I’ve always dreamed of seeing the whales up close. And I did. They also gave you a lot of information about the whales. It was a fun day. Thanks to the Blue Dolphin.
Response from Host, Aug 2022
Thank you Gavin for joining us on Blue Dolphin. It was our pleasure to introduce you to the wonderful Humpback Whales, aren't they the best!!!! Hope to see you back for some more whales in the future.
Phillip_M, Jul 2021
We did this Whale watching cruise on Friday 23rd July on the Blue Dolphin Catamaran. While we saw quite a few whales it was early in the season and they were a bit quiet. The boat was great and the staff were great,. Peter and Jodie and Carolina looked after everyone very well. Lunch and all the nibbles were excellent. The boat is small and with about 24 guests it was easy for everyone to get a good view. we may go back later in the season when the whales should be more active
Response from Host, Aug 2021
Thank you Phillip for joining us on Blue Dolphin. We would love to see you back to show you the season in full swing with whale soup, it is truly a memorable day out.
Many thanks
Jodie
Margaret_L, Aug 2020
WE had an exceptional day out with Blue Dolphin. A whole day tour with so may whales up close cavorting and staying with the boat. Truly stunning, we will come again.
Response from Host, Aug 2020
Thankyou for your review and for choosing Blue Dolphin for your whale encounter. We look forward to welcoming you back to Hervey Bay to see the whales again.
Many thanks
emmaLS2017, Oct 2019
Peter is amazing at his job, he told us finding a whale is easy but finding a good whale is key, one(s) that will pec slap, tail lob, breach and even sing all come down to right place, right time and Peter with all of his knowledge and experience certainly didn't disappoint us!!
We saw a couple of passing dolphins, a large turtle and a couple of good pods of whales and it honestly blew our expectations out of the water. 😉
Cass put on an amazing morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea and was a beautiful host.
The whole day was just incredible and the memories from this experience will last a life time.
Thank you to the team at Blue Dolphin Marine Tours!
Response from Host, Oct 2019
Thank you so much Emma for your lovely review and kind words. Both Pete and Cassie work so hard to ensure that all our guests enjoy their day on the water whilst viewing the beautiful whales. Happy to be a part of creating life long memories, thank you.
Sujay S, Oct 2016
We loved the tour. Captain Pete was so welcoming. Going on a small boat had a personal touch.
Britta_S, Oct 2024
Wir hatten angenommen, ein paar Wale an diesem Tag zu sehen. Es waren aber sehr viele, wir konnten es kaum glauben, so viel Zeit mit den Walen verbringen zu können. Die Tour hat unsere Erwartungen weit übertroffen! Die Crew war außerdem nett, zuvorkommend und das Essen lecker!
Response from Host, Oct 2024
It was lovely to meet you Britta and thank you for choosing Blue Dolphin. Yes it is incredible to see so many whales in the Bay, a truly wonderous sight. We are so happy you enjoyed your day with us and wish you safe travels in Australia.
Many thanks
Jodie
From $140.10
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Fraser Island Whale Watch Encounter
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