South Coast whale watchers rejoice in ‘record’ season as tourists flock

Meet the dedicated boat captains and tour guides helping the thousands of keen-eyed tourists to catch a glimpse of the many whales making their way down the South Coast in coming months.

The great southern migration is well underway on the South Coast, with pods of humpback whales, southern right whales, and even the illusive orcas making their way past the east coast in the coming months.

For the region’s many dedicated tour operators, it was a fortuitous start to the season after tourists camping off the coast near Eden caught a glimpse of the a pod of orcas, or killer whales, in early March.

Since then, boat crews from Jervis Bay to Narooma and further south have spotted the beloved sea beasts as they make their way toward the cooler Antarctic waters.

Each region has something different to offer tourists, both on the water and on land.

Find out where your next whale watching adventure might take you here.

Eden

For many tourists, the Far South Coast town of Eden is synonymous with whales.

The former whaling hub houses the popular Eden Killer Whale Museum, but for Cat Balou Cruises owner Lana Wills, the region’s whales are far from a thing of the past.

“Eden is a fantastic spot for whale watching,” she said.

“We’re lucky to be able to see the whale’s feeding on their southern migration.

“That’s a very beautiful thing, and not many people get to see it.”

Nestled into Snug Cove at the port of Eden, the popular tour operator runs a number of cruises throughout the southern and northern migrations which last until November, as well as the shoulder seasons.

What makes the beloved coastal town a go-to for whale watching, Ms Wills said, is the relatively short commute time the boats have between the bay and the whale watching spots on the water.

“There is very little time spent after leaving our departure point until getting out to where the whales are,” she said.

“You can really maximise your time out on the water seeing those whales because we don’t have to travel far.”

Primarily, Ms Wills said patrons will get a glimpse of the common, but well loved, humpback whales.

“Over the last couple months, we’ve also had regular sightings of the Bryde‘s whale, minkie, and dwarf minkie whales,” she said.

“And, of course, everyone wants to see a killer whale, and we’ve had them already in our waters this year.

“We’re hoping to see more of them this year.”

For land-lovers, there are a number of spots near Eden where visitors might also grab a glimpse of the whales from the shore.

Ben Boyd National Park remains a good destination for whale watching despite the damage dealt to the area by the Black Summer fires, while Mimosa Rocks National Park and Bournda National Park lookouts are also popular.

Jervis Bay

A short drive from Sydney, Jervis Bay is renowned for its clear, white beaches and scuba diving, but from April until November, the area is also a popular whale watching spot.

Dolphin Watch Cruises Jervis Bay has pioneered the region’s whale watching for more than 30 years, according to manager Jet James, who said their fleet of four boats were on the water every day, year round.

“We’ve got the longest whale season of anywhere on the coast, and that’s on top of the hundreds of dolphins that already call Jervis Bay home,” he said.

Based out of Huskisson near Jervis Bay, Mr James said that, unlike in other whale watching hot spots, visitors to Jervis Bay benefited from calmer waters for those prone to sea sickness.

“Jervis Bay is an area two and a half times the size of Sydney Harbour,” he said.

“It‘s a gigantic, encircled piece of calm water that sticks 10km out off the coast, right into the whale highway.

“On most whale cruises, your out there in the ocean, but in Jervis Bay its relatively sheltered, nice and calm. You can cut out about 90 per cent of the seasickness, and just hang out with the whales.”

By the 60s, Mr James said the whale populations on the coast had dropped to as low as only 100 individuals.

Now, he said that number had bounced back up to as much as 35,000.

“We also get them heading up north to go to whale schoolies on the Gold Coast,” he laughed.

“They make babies, and on the way back they pass through Jervis Bay again which becomes a bit of a whale nursery because it is a pit stop between the breeding grounds and Antarctica.

“So, we get lots of mums and newborn humpback calves, these tiny little things the size of a car, coming into the Bay in a sort of whale kindergarten.”

It isn’t all about the whales for Mr James, though, as the region also homes permanent dolphin, seal, and penguin populations, as well as some stunning scenery.

“We do scenic cruises as well, out to the 100m high sea cliffs,” he said.

“People get to see the big rock formations, too, called the drum and drumsticks, where they will also find the seal colonies. There’s a lot to see even when it isn’t whale season.”

On land, there are a number of vantage points tourists might also see whales.

Shoalhaven Heads, Crookhaven Heads Lighthouse, and Penguin Head at Culburra Beach are great vantage points, as well as Hammerhead Point, a short drive south near the seaside village of Currarong.

Further south, vantage points are also available along the coast near Ulladulla.

Narooma

Located a short drive from the popular seaside town of Batemans Bay, the Narooma area is a sometimes overlooked whale watching destination, hidden in the shadow of nearby Eden.

But, according to Sapphire Coastal Adventures owner Simon Miller, the “gem” of the Sapphire Coast is well worth the drive from Canberra or even Sydney.

“We’re in full flight, its peak season,” Mr Miller said.

“Its been a really busy season, we’ve had record number of whales this year.

“The numbers just keep increasing every year.”

Running tours out of Merimbula and Bermagui, Mr Miler said every day was different on the water.

“At certain stages of the season, the whales are at different points,” he said.

“Early in the season, the whales are out wide, but later in the season they are in close. But, it varies from day-to-day. You never know what you’re going to end up with.”

With 19 years of experience chasing whales on the water, Mr Miller said the their charters cover both the northern and southern migration, and know the best spots to catch a sighting.

“We get a good cross section of what the whales are doing every year, and it gives us a pretty good idea of the overall humpback migration,” he said.

Back on the shore, whales can also be seen from a number of spots in the Eurobodalla.

Montague Island is another popular destination for whale watchers, with cruises to the protected reserve which sits on the far side of the whale’s migration route and the mainland.

Further north, One Tree Point at Tuross Head, Toragy Point near Moruya Heads South, and the Dalmeny Viewing Platform are all popular, as is the Bar Rock Road Lookout in Narooma itself.