Whale-watching in Bundaberg: tours & experiences

Hervey Bay is Queensland’s most famous whale-watching destination but there are equally exciting places you can experience these ocean leviathans at play, including Bundaberg, just 4½ hours from Brisbane.

Every year, majestic southern humpback whales migrate north from Antarctica through the pristine waters of the Coral Sea, feeding, mating and playing off the Bundaberg coastline, providing bountiful opportunities to get up close with these remarkable creatures and witness their playful antics in a pristine natural habitat.

When to go? 

With humpback whales timing their migration to pass Bundaberg in the winter months to mate and give birth in the warm, subtropical waters of The Whitsundays, the months of July through to November is when you’ll want to plan your whale watching holiday. Bundaberg’s winter weather is very pleasant, with July, the coldest month of the year, delivering an average daytime temperature of around 21^oC. By November, the weather is starting to warm up, with average daytime temperatures sitting around 28^oC.

Essentially, you’ve got a four-month window each year to experience whale watching in Bundaberg, so consider what else you’d like to visit that’s seasonally sensitive in the region — like turtle hatching at Mon Repos — and plan your Bundaberg holiday accordingly!

Where to stay? 

As a thriving regional centre and popular destination among holidaymakers, Bundaberg boasts accommodation to suit every holidaymaker’s preferences and budget. As whale watching tours don’t depart directly from Bundaberg Central but down the road in Burnett Heads (a 20-minute drive from the centre of town with public transport also available) you may find it more convenient — or more in line with your holiday plans — to base yourself in beautiful Bargara (a 10-minute drive) with its stunning oceanside walks or in Burnett Heads.

If you’re planning your holiday in November, there’s a great opportunity to combine whale watching season and turtle hatching season — from November to January, you can witness the amazing spectacle of mother turtles hauling themselves along the shores of Mon Repos beach to lay their clutches of eggs. To experience both on a Bundaberg holiday, many holidaymakers choose to stay in Bargara where you’re just a few minutes drive from both.

In bustling Bundaberg Central, Bourbon Street and Quay Street which runs alongside the Burnett River are home to a variety of three and four-star hotels and motels, including the Sugar Country Motor Inn, Burnett Riverside Hotel and The Point Resort Bargara. There are also a few camping and caravan park options scattered around town, including Midtown Caravan Park and Bundaberg East Cabin and Tourist Park. 

If you have your heart set on staying in Bargara by the beach, you’ll find there’s no shortage of accommodation options lining Bargara Esplanade, many of which offer fantastic ocean views. The Point Resort Bargara is located practically on the water’s edge, Bargara Gardens Motel and Holiday Villas offer private one and two-bedroom self-contained villas among tropical gardens, and Bargara Shoreline Apartments, located just around the headland on Kelly’s Beach provides a variety of accommodation options, including 3-bedroom apartments which are perfect for families. Nearby Kellys Beach Resort is eco-certified with an on-site restaurant and bar.

There are also several holiday parks for those camping or caravanning, including Moore Park Beach Holiday Park with its perfect location beside the Moore Park Surf Lifesaving Club, and the ever-popular BIG4 Breeze Holiday Parks - Bargara.

Burnett Heads — where whale watching tours depart — is home to the Burnett Heads 'Lighthouse' Holiday Park with its peaceful waterfront location and a popular place to stay for those visiting the Mon Repos Turtle Centre on their whale watching holiday in Bundaberg.

Which tour to book?

While there aren’t as many tour options as Hervey Bay on the Fraser Coast, you still have options when booking a Bundaberg whale watching tour. All tours depart from Bundaberg Port Marina in Burnett Heads and due to their popularity, tend to book out quickly in peak season. Especially over the September school holidays which is bang right in the middle of whale watching season — so be sure to book ahead.

Lady Musgrave Experience (Australia Whale Experience) offers a half-day (4-hour) whale watch tour which leaves the marina at 10am (check in at 9:45) and returns at 2pm with morning tea and a light lunch included. Their 35-metre luxury catamaran, ‘Main Event’, provides passengers with breathtaking views of the coastline as you head out to open waters where even more breathtakingly spectacular views await — humpback whales at play.

Prepare to be awed as one of the largest ocean creatures launches itself out of the water and into the sky, before crashing back into the water and then popping up just meters away to get a sticky-beak at you and your fellow passengers. If experiencing this majestic display of leviathan just once won’t be enough to sate your appetite for up-close-and-personal whale watching experiences, consider a season pass. The half-day tour is included in a 2-day package so you can combine whale-watching with snorkelling at Lady Musgrave Reef.

What to wear and bring

Just as migrating humpback whales are in tune with what the weather’s doing — which is why they migrate north to take advantage of the warmer waters while calving — so should you. Bear in mind that although you’re in sunny Queensland, it’s still winter and you’ll be out on the open sea which is quite often both wet and windy, so dress and pack accordingly.

A sensible pair of shoes with adequate grip for a wet deck are a must, as is a jacket, long pants and sunscreen — you may not feel the sun as much with those cool ocean breezes, but you can still get sunburnt.

Naturally, you’ll want to take millions of Instaworthy photos, so ensure your phone is charged — there are USB charging stations aboard most vessels — and don’t forget that whether you’re taking a phone or camera, there’s a good chance that you’ll get a little wet. What’s more, all whale watching tours in Bundaberg provide snacks or a meal, so you won’t need to bring anything to eat unless someone in your group has special dietary requirements.   

Looking for other whale watching destinations? 

There truly is no shortage of whale watching destinations in the Sunshine State.

As the weather starts to turn cool, the Gold Coast welcomes the first migrating whale pods — you can also catch them on their way home at the end of the season. When to visit: August – September.

Join a whale watching tour from Brisbane and get up close with these migrating mammals as they pass North Stradbroke Island. You can also watch from the lookout. When to visit: September – November.

Whale watching tours depart from Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast, with Sunreef Mooloolaba’s ‘Swimming with the whales’ tours and Sunshine Coast Afloat’s intimate whale watching cruises. When to visit: October.

Hervey Bay — Queensland’s home of whale watching — is one of the world’s first official Whale Heritage sites and offers the most abundant whale activity in Queensland. When to visit: August – October.

The opportunities for whale watching experiences on the Southern Great Barrier Reef are myriad — Heron Island, Lady Musgrave Island, Lady Elliot Island and more. When to visit: June to September.

Female humpbacks give birth in the warm Whitsundays waters and there are numerous tour options to join, including luxury boat charters delivering intimate experiences. When to visit: July – September.

While humpbacks skip Tropical North Queensland, the region offers different whale watching experiences — it’s the only place in the world where you can swim with dwarf minke whales. When to visit: June – July. 

Feature image: @intothewildphotog