Whale Watching
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Gippsland welcomes friends of a different kind from the deep south. Between May and November these majestic creatures can be spotted from a number of Gippsland vantage points.
Jump in the car with your beanie and binoculars and head to the Gippsland coastline. In late autumn whales travel solo or in small pods of up to five in search of warmer waters, stopping at favourite breeding hot-spots along the way.
Just 2 hours out of Melbourne you can be spotting whales from Phillip Island and the Bass Coast. The most southerly point of mainland Australia, Wilsons Promontory, and the maritime village of Port Albert are prime locations to spot humpback and southern right whales during their annual migration.
Further east, whale traffic heading north and south makes the Ninety Mile Beach and Lake Tyers Beach ideal viewing points to see a fluke or two.
Wanderer Adventures Wilsons Promontory whale watching cruise
The 2.5 hour Whale Watching Cruise departs from The Prom at Tidal River, and takes you around the rugged coastline to watch majestic southern right and humpback whales on migration across winter and spring. You can also see a fur seal colony and hard-to-reach places of the stunning national park, including the historic lighthouse.
Where to look: Best Vantage Points
Wilsons Promontory & South Gippsland Coast
- Sealers Cove (Wilsons Promontory)
- Refuge Cove (Wilsons Promontory)
- Glennie Lookout (Wilsons Promontory)
- Pillar Point (Wilsons Promontory)
- Cape Liptrap Lighthouse
- Ned Neale’s Lookout (Sandy Point)
Phillip Island & The Bass Coast
Follow the Bass Coast Whale Discovery Trail which maps out some of the best viewing spots for whales with interpretive signage.
- George Bass Coastal Walk
- Cowes (Phillip Island)
- Grossard Point (Phillip Island)
- The Nobbies & Summerland (Phillip Island)
- Pyramid Rock (Phillip Island)
- Cape Woolamai (Phillip Island)
- Punch Bowl Road, San Remo
- Kilcunda
- Harmers Haven
- Cape Paterson First Surf
- Eagles Nest, Inverloch
Wildlife Coast Cruises
Wilsons Prom Whale Cruise runs for 6 hours, departing from Port Welshpool Jetty during the spring migration (for tour dates, check their website).
Ninety Mile Beach & East Gippsland Coast
- Port Albert
- Anywhere along Ninety Mile Beach
- Lakes Entrance
- Lake Tyers Beach
- Point Hicks Lighthouse (Croajingolong National Park)
Identifying whales
Head to high vantage points and headlands. You can spot the difference between a southern right or a humpback by the shape of the water spraying from the blowhole, fin and tail shape. View whale identification diagrams.
