Hervey Bay Whale Search and Dolphin Watch
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Prior to Guaranteed Humpback Whale Watching season (from July 12th to mid-October) in Hervey Bay, Whalesong gets you out on the water to be some of the first to find them. Whalesong is the only boat that offers a pre-season whale search cruise. Perfect for keeping the kids entertained in the school holidays (they usually enjoy the dolphins more than the whales anyhow, ha ha!). We get you out on the Bay and searching for the whales in the morning, so you’re still back in time to be able to make use of your afternoon. As you will enjoy a fresh buffet lunch whilst cruising back to the marina, all you need to do is step off the boat and carry on with you day…no need to waste time looking for (and then eating) lunch after the cruise.
As Whale and Dolphin Watching Specialists, the sheltered waters between World Heritage listed Fraser Island and the mainland provides the best place in Australia to experience a Humpback Whale, or Dolphin close encounter like no other. Dolphins love to ride the wave made by our bulbous bow and the majestic humpback whales love to come interact with the guests on our boat….so close you could almost touch them!
Enjoy 5 glorious hours on the pristine waters between K’gari (Fraser Island) and Hervey Bay searching for the majestic Humpback Whale, in comfort on the new and modern environmentally friendly MV Whalesong. With enclosed and open air viewing on two levels, a water level viewing area and extra wide, walk around decks, the boat provides the ultimate in extra viewing and seating space. All guests have excellent vantage points for viewing a wide variety of wildlife or to just sit back and enjoy the ride.
The Humpback Whales don’t use a calendar so let Whalesong Cruises provide you with the chance to be some of the first guests on the Fraser Coast to see these beautiful creatures. Wildlife guaranteed. As well as our resident bottlenose dolphins, you can also see marine animals as sting rays, eagle rays, turtles, fish, bird life and occasionally the endangered Dugong (sea cow). Whilst we’ll also be looking for the Humpback Whales, Whalesong doesn’t offer guaranteed sightings until July 12th, 2025 onwards.
In addition to an incredible experience observing a variety of wildlife in their natural environment, you’ll enjoy a real time commentary about them all (humpback whales, dolphins, dugongs, sharks, turtles and bird life) as well as some local history of K’gari (Fraser Island) and the traditional land owners, the Butchulla people. Moreover, with our multilingual crew, this live commentary can all be translated directly to you in French, German, Italian or Spanish. Above all, the entire Whalesong team is dedicated to exceptional customer service, so all you need to do is relax and enjoy. And because M.V. Whalesong is environmentally friendly, with a low carbon impact, you can be rest assured that your experience with us, isn’t at the cost of the environment we work and play in.
There’s no need to worry about what to eat; Whalesong Cruises is the only half day boat tour in Hervey Bay to include meals.
Cruises inclusions:
- 5 hour cruise: departs 8am and returns 1pm
- Local knowledge and expert fauna commentary with an emphasis on whales
- Multilingual crew to give direct translation in French, German, Spanish and Italian – if preferred
- Multi level viewing throughout the entire vessel
- Hydrophone to listen to the whales ‘sing’
- Free WiFi onboard
- Low passenger numbers (only carry max. 75% of actual capacity)
- Extra wide decks provide many excellent viewing and comfortable seating options
- Complimentary filtered water, loose leaf tea, herbal tea, coffee and milo available all cruise
- Delicious morning tea AND buffet lunch. Special dietary requirements catered for on request and with reasonable notice.
- Fully licensed and well stocked bar
- Snacks, souvenirs and merchandise available for purchase
- Kids activity sheets
- Wheelchair ramps and accessible toilet
- Courtesy bus pick up in Hervey Bay
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
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This day was a highlight of our holiday, Thank you.
From the moment we arrived, the team was welcoming and attentive. We were greeted with tea, coffee, fresh fruits, and a selection of cakes, which was a lovely touch. The journey to the shore took about 50 minutes, and once there, the fun really began.
There were plenty of activities to enjoy, including swimming to the shore, kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkelling, and access to small boats. One of the highlights was an exciting group water activity where three people ride together while being pulled at speed. it was a great mix of fun and adrenaline.
Lunch was excellent, with a variety of options including burgers, sausages, and vegetarian choices. Throughout the day, smoothies, soft drinks, alcoholic drinks and snacks were also available for purchase, all of good quality.
Overall, this is a wonderful local family-run business that clearly takes pride in what they do. Everything was smooth, enjoyable, and well thought out. We were very happy with our experience and would definitely recommend it to others.
10/10 - highly recommended!
Thank you for making our trip to Fraser Island so special x
We originally booked for weekend cruise but due to weather conditions they rebooked us for a couple of days later. Best decision the weather today was 10/10, cruises 10/10, fun 10/10 and food 10/10.
Wish I could upload more photos and videos but we had so much fun, with all the water sports my phone was put away and we spent quality time with the family.
Kayak, paddle boards, tubing, beach games, beach walks, jumping into the blue waters off the boat. So many activities to fit into 2 hours wish we could have stayed out longer.
Morning tea provided with cakes, fruit and Milo 😊 as well as a wonderful BBQ lunch. Crew were so friendly, caring and went above and beyond today.
If you’re visiting Hervey Bay highly recommended going out on this tour for the best fun on the water.
We did the afternoon and it was magic.
The crew were fun and knowledgeable. Boat was perfect size. So much room to move around over the 4 hours.
The captain was accommodating and happily answered questions over the 4 hours while finding around 8-10 whales for us to view.
Cant wait to bring all my visitors to Hervey Bay back out.
A must do!!
The staff were very friendly, welcoming and informative.
Food was great and whale sightings were an experience I will not forget in a hurry.
We saw whales in the distance, close by and some even swam right up to the boat and frolicked for ages around the boat - you could almost touch them. Not sure who was checking out who - the whales or the humans.
Thank you so much to the crew on the Whalesong boat for an u forgettable experience
The onboard catering was excellent. Lunch was hearty, healthy, and very satisfying, complemented by a delightful selection of tea, cakes, and fresh fruits. The staff were exceptionally attentive, responsive, and informative, sharing fascinating insights about the whales and the surrounding environment. Their professionalism and warmth added greatly to the overall experience.
This tour exceeded all expectations and comes with my highest recommendation. Anyone seeking a memorable whale-watching adventure should absolutely choose this company—you will be treated to an extraordinary and once-in-a-lifetime encounter with nature at its finest.
We will be back!
Staff were friendly and the food and drinks god and plentiful.
Highly recommend cruise and time slot.
Very good hospitality, great meal for dinner and afternoon tea.
There are many tours available for Fraser, but this one is up there with the best
The staff were very friendly
The cruise across Hervey Bay to Fraser Island was very scenic. We saw plenty of dolphins and a couple of giant turtles.
Lunch was provided after we got back on board, and it was of excellent taste and quality.
A little tip. Avoid going via a travel agent. If you book through Whalesong directly, they will give you $10 on-board credit to use at the bar.
It's a must do experience
We had booked and paid for the first afternoon with Pacific Whale Foundation but they cancelled us the day before so Whalesonf stepped in ..
Both cruises were really good
- on the afternnon cruise we saw around 18 different pods (each 2-3 whales) and
- on the following morning cruise we saw around a dozen but they were very active, breaching and clapping their fins etc
The crew were great and the Captain moved us in as close a possible without getting too close.
The fee includes food - luch on the morning cruise or supper on the afternoon cruise - and it was a big plate of food!
The boat is purpose built for whale watching so there are multiple decks / spaces to move around on to get the best possible views.
also as a catermeran it is pretty stable - the usual front to back roll but limited side to side - which is good if anyone suffers from sea sickness
Overall a very good two trips
Best time per captain is from July to late Sept but we went first week of Oct and we saw loads of whales!!
The staff were amazing, the boat is the perfect size and we got to see heaps of whales. We got to see natural behaviours of mums teaching their babies how to survive once they go South. The commentary was great and the microphone to hear the whale sounds was fascinating. Thanks for spoiling us with morning tea and lunch!
So we'll organised, don't change a thing!
We were picked up at our motel at the exact time we were told.
We were greeted by very friendly staff, the boat was clean & comfortable. The drinks were at a good price, afternoon tea was nice. The whales were so amazing to watch, they really put on a show for us, the captain was very knowledgeable. I was a bit cold when the boat was moving, one of the staff members offered me a blanket, how cool was that? Just incredible service. It’s a day we will never ever forget. Dinner was served on our way back in & it was delicious.
Thank you so much whalesong tours you made our day.
One of the best whale watching tours ever. Fantastic vantage points from all over the boat. Morning tea and lunch were lovely and the bar service was excellent.
The fact that you had not only a toilet, but a disabled toilet, blew my grandmother’s mind and is really appreciated.
The captain and tour guide were very knowledgeable and gave a lot of interesting facts during the tour.
Will definitely book again next time I’m up in QLD!
All footage captured on iPhone 15 Pro Max
The day was so much fun especially the tube ride!!
We had a good time all in all. The staff were friendly and the cruise was fairly smooth. 3 of us did the dingy ride which was good fun. There were a few rain downpours but we managed to shelter and it didn't spoil the day.
Lunch back on the boat was a bit disorganised and it set off before many of us had finished eating and how windy it was made it quite impossible to enjoy it fully.
The local Hump Backed Dolphins seen on the way home was a bonus????
Can’t wait to do the whale watching tour next.
The staff were friendly and most helpful, from the lovely girl who took our booking to the crew on board the vessel. The boat was spotless with plenty of room to move around, the captain's commentary was very informative about the whales, and food was freshly prepared, yummy and plentiful.
We did the morning cruise and now plan to return to do the afternoon/sunset dinner cruise at some time.
All in all, a memory to last a life a lifetime.

















































































