Motel ready for winter whale watchers amid booking boom

This modest Coast motel has been ‘basically booked out’ since COVID-19 restrictions lifted and with whales on the way, there’s hope things will just get better.

As the Fraser Coast makes way for the winter arrival of whales, this local motel is preparing for the whale-watchers. Picture: Isabella Magee

Tucked among the palms on the Scarness tourist strip opposite Enzos, this modest motel is steadily filling with visitors as winter whale watching and school holidays near.

Sunseeker Motel owner Lisa Imhoff told the Chronicle things were already looking busy for months.

“It’s looking really good actually at the moment, we‘ve got heaps of forward bookings for whale season, so, it’s looking very positive,” Lisa said.

The Sunseeker is located at 354 Esplanade in Scarness. Picture: Isabella Magee

While whale season has always traditionally “booked out” the complex, it, like many other local businesses, had a challenging time last year amid COVID-19 uncertainty.

This year though, things are almost back to normal.

“Whale season always books us out, (July to September are) always the best three months for us,” Lisa said.

Hervey Bay’s Sunseek Motel owner Lisa Imhoff. Picture: Isabella Magee

And, it seems local love and support from Aussie travellers is also helping get things back on track.

“Ever since everyone could travel again since Covid, we‘ve been fully booked every day ever since, basically, it’s been great,” she said.