ABOUT THE WHALES:

From late JULY through to early NOVEMBER Hervey Bay is "A-BUZZ" with people venturing out to see the mighty HUMPBACK whales. The whales purposely venture into the bay to rest and relax before again heading south on their return voyage to their winter feeding grounds in Antarctica.

FRASER ISLAND not only provides a lovely backdrop, but for whale-watchers and whales alike, a welcome break from the ocean swells encountered elsewhere on Australia's East Coast. AUGUST - SEPTEMBER sees the "sub-adults" (young whales) at play.

If you really want to see these wonderful animals up close, come at this time, as it is rare not to get a close encounter with these whales. At times we are "shut down" for hours while these youngsters check us out. We often wonder at this time of the year as to just who is watching whom?

Who's watching who?

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER we see mainly mothers and calves as well as the big bull escorts. This gives us a glimpse of the maternal side of the mums as well as the playfulness of the calves. One moment mum and calf can be observed quietly suckling, only to erupt into action when the calf has decided its time to play. A mother and calf air-born is something you will find hard to forget.

Time to play

Towards the end of our Whale Watch season (OCTOBER / NOVEMBER) we can observe males fighting for a females attention. While not being life threatening, this fighting is spectacular with males pursuing each other at phenomenal speeds both above and below the surface. Tail and pectoral fin slapping, breaching and head lunging are just some of the spectacular antics.

 Hard to forget

HERVEY BAY has the reputation as the best place in the world in which to observe humpback whales, so come and see for yourself, you will be amazed.