Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe at whale watching season launch

After two years of lockdowns and Covid restrictions, bookings are surging in the whale watching mecca of Hervey Bay where the whale watching season was officially launched on Thursday. VIDEO.

Hervey Bay’s whale watching industry is expecting a post-Covid boom, as restrictions ease and with lockdowns in southern states now a thing of the past.

Minister Tourism Stirling Hinchliffe was at Urangan Marina on Thursday to help launch this year’s what watching season, with 40,000 humpback whales expected to pass through the waters of Hervey Bay in coming months.

Whale watching operators, Fraser Tourism and Events general manger Martin Simons and member for Hervey Bay Adrian Tantari were also on hand to celebrate the start of the season.

Mr Hinchliffe said Hervey Bay was one of the best places in the world to experience whale watching.

The whales used the safe waters off Hervey Bay, protected by Fraser Island, as a safe place to stop, play and rest during their journey along the east coast of Australia, he said.

“It’s a great place for anyone travelling along the Queensland coast to do the same,” Mr Hinchliffe said.

Tourists come face-to-face with a curious humpback whale aboard the Tasman Venture at Hervey Bay.

Mr Hinchliffe said about 25 per cent of visitors to the Fraser Coast were there for a whale watching experience.

“That’s represented some $110 million dollars put into the local economy over the last four years,” he said.

“It’s a very important part of the local visitor economy.”

Mr Tantari said the whale watching experience in Hervey Bay was second to none.

“You’ve even got the opportunity to swim with the whales, something that is very unique in our area as well.”

Mr Tantari said about 25,000 people went whale watching in Hervey Bay every year.

“This time of the year is vitally important for our community and for our economy.

“It’s great experience for people. People who come to Hervey Bay to experience whale watching have a very unique experience.

“It’s not uncommon to see people burst into tears when they see a whale for the first time here.

“Whales don’t cruise past like they do in some of the other places in Queensland, they actually come here to rest and play.

“This is why Hervey Bay is such a special place to come and do the whale watching here.”

Andrew Ellis from the Pacific Whale Foundation said every year when starting a new season was “the best time of the year for us”.

“It’s so exciting to be able to take people out and show them these beautiful wild animals out here in their natural environment, doing their own thing,” he said.

“It’s the best job in the world.”

Mr Ellis said in the past two years during Covid there had been no such thing a pre-bookings, as people were concerned about the spread of Covid and possible Covid lockdowns.

Humpback whales at Hervey Bay on Queensland's Fraser Coast. – Must credit Mark Fitz Tourism and Events Queensland

“Everything was coming in within 24 hours,” he said.

“We’re (now) sitting at about 140 per cent of our pre-bookings for 2019.

“That augers well for a great year ahead.”

Mr Simons said accommodation bookings in the region were already up between 10 to 15 per cent compared to 2019, showing that people were still keep to get out and explore despite the rising cost of living, and particularly petrol.

“It’s a pristine environment, it’s a go-to place,” he said.

The region had multiple attractions in addition to whale watching, including great beaches, access to Lady Elliott Island and Fraser Island and the heritage appeal of Maryborough, Mr Simons said.

“It’s one of the most diverse tourism regions in the state,” he said.