Feature by Carolyn Beasley
With a coastline extending through 13,000km of pristine ocean, from the chilly, southern latitudes to the balmy tropics, Western Australia has a front-row seat on Australia’s longest whale migration, and whale watching season.
Western Australia has a front-row seat on Australia’s longest whale migration, and whale watching season. Many whale species are found here, and if you know where to look, you’ll spot a mighty behemoth launching clear of the water, or perhaps just a telltale misty blow, during most months of the year.
Our most commonly sighted whales are the acrobatic humpback whales. Every autumn, around 40,000 of these giants leave the rich feeding grounds of Antarctica for the warmth of Australia’s North West, where they breed and give birth, delighting viewers all along their migration route.
Southern right whales are regular visitors to the southern coastline, as are the orcas (killer whale). If you’re lucky, you’ll even find the largest animal to have ever lived, the rare and endangered blue whale.
With such a dazzling array of salty cetaceans, you’ll need a guide, and here it is. Read on for where to find Western Australia’s best whale watching.
Southern Right Whales swimming, Cape Arid National Park Coastline
Australia's Golden Outback
On the southern coastline, the sheltered bays around Esperance host southern right whales and their calves, plus the occasional humpback whale from June to October.
Check for whales at West Beach, Twilight Beach, The Bay and Observatory Point as you potter along the Great Ocean Drive. Mums and calves can also be spotted at Thomas River and Cape Arid. For the immersive experience, book a nature cruise with Esperance Island Cruises or spot whales from their air with Fly Esperance.
Orcas swimming, off the coast of Bremer Bay by @aeroture_au on social media
Australia's South West
Be awe-inspired in the waters off Bremer Bay where offshore canyons create rich hunting. Join Naturaliste Charters or Whale Watch Western Australia between January and April for a bucketlist adventure. From the safety of a comfortable vessel, witness the biggest congregation of orcas in the southern hemisphere, and often, a feeding frenzy. See other wildlife on the surface too, like sperm whales, dolphins, or the bizarre oceanic sunfish.
In Albany, humpback and southern right whales loll about or jump for joy in idyllic harbours from June to October. The town is full of vantage points, like the Ellen Cove Boardwalk or the Ocean Drive lookouts. Get closer from a sailing catamaran with Albany Whale Tours.
In the Margaret River region, Augusta, Busselton, and Dunsborough all make excellent whale watching bases. Cape Leeuwin and Cape Naturaliste are significant landmarks on the migration route, and humpbacks, southern right, and even rare blue whales are seen passing as they head north (from May) or return south (September to December), usually closer to shore, with their young.
From Augusta, tours run from May to August and from Dunsborough and Busselton from September to early December. Take a boat tour with the locals at All Sea Charters, Legend Charters, Jet Adventures, Naturaliste Charters or Whale Watch Western Australia (available in the South West in May to August only).
Prefer to keep your feet on the ground? Bring your binoculars to Surfer’s Point, Cape Leeuwin, Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse, or any of the lookouts along the Cape to Cape Track.
Blue Whale captured by Dylan Dehaas
Perth
From March to May, endangered blue whales are busy gorging on krill just 50km from Perth. Join the only dedicated blue whale tour in Australia with Whale Watch Western Australia, visiting the Perth Canyon in search of the 100-tonne leviathans.
Humpback whales can be seen off Perth’s coast and around Rottnest Island from September to November. Take a whale watching cruise from Fremantle or Hillarys with Whale Watching Perth or join the thrilling Eco Express Adventure Boat from Rottnest Island.
Ningaloo Marine Park, near Exmouth
Australia's Coral Coast
Whales are heading north and then south along the Coral Coast’s ‘humpback highway’ between June and November and can be easily spotted from Geraldton and Kalbarri’s coastal lookouts.
World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef is one of the world’s largest fringing reefs. Ningaloo is most famous for its other gentle giants, the whale sharks, and is the only place in Australia where visitors can reliably swim with the biggest fish in the sea. But Ningaloo also offers visitors the ultimate whale watching experience. It’s the only place in Western Australia where you can actually swim with humpback whales. A dozen companies offer in-water interactions, from Exmouth (August to October), and Coral Bay Eco Tours and Ningaloo Reef Dive and Snorkel in Coral Bay (July to October). Swimming tours are conducted under ethical guidelines, and on the whale’s own terms.
If you’re not ready to jump in, join a sunset cruise in naturally sheltered Exmouth Gulf with Ningaloo Discovery, Ocean Eco Adventures, or Exmouth Dive and Whalesharks amongst others, and be entertained by whales while you sip a sundowner.
Australia's North West
When exploring the Pilbara, whale watching hotspots include Mackerel Islands, Dampier, Point Samson and Port Hedland. The Kimberley coast is the final destination for most humpback whales, and Lalang-garram/Camden Sound Marine Park is the most significant humpback nursery in the southern hemisphere.
From Broome, join an afternoon or sunset whale watching cruise (July to September) with Broome Whale Watching or Absolute Ocean Charters, and you may also spot one of the Kimberley’s unique snubfin dolphins. Alternatively, see whales from the land at the low-key campsite of Pender Bay Escape, owned by the Goojarr Goonyool Aboriginal Corporation. Over the years, the onsite Two Moons Whale and Research Base has conducted valuable research from this shoreline about the Pender Bay whale nursery.
Published May 2022.