If you're planning a whale-watching cruise in the near future, Australia should be on your short list of destinations. Few places worldwide can offer the frequency or variety of whale watching opportunities that are found in Australia.
Your whale watching trip criteria should include the chance to see many different types of whales. The most predominant species in Australia's territorial waters are humpbacks, southern right whales, and orcas (though these are not technically whales at all, we'll include them in the discussion - they are magnificent to see in the wild!). These are not all of the species you can find here, as Minke, fin, Sei, Bryde's, pygmy, sperm, pilot, melon, and many species of beaked whales also have Australia in their annual migration path.
Whale watching in Australia varies depending on the location. For example, southern right whales are most frequently seen around the southern coastal waters of Australia, and not usually found to the north. Humpbacks, the most famously vocal singers of the cetacean family, are usually seen off the eastern and western coasts, while orcas can be seen all around Australia. For further refining your plans, consider the following:
New South Wales - Humpback whales are most commonly seen from the coast here from June through December.
Queensland - From July through September, humpbacks predominate in this area as well. The neighborhood of the Great Barrier Reef often hosts dwarf Minke whales.
Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia - Your whale watching trip is most likely to run into southern rights in the waters off of these states.
Western Australia - Head toward Western Australia for a whale watching cruise that may encounter southern right whales, humpbacks, and even the enormous blue whales. Blues were hunted nearly to extinction, and remain endangered, but their population is making a comeback.
While Australia was a major force in the whaling industry from the late 1700's until 1978, the nation's territorial waters now form the Australian Whale Sanctuary. There are strict regulations in place to protect whales at all locations around Australia, with protective borders extending from the coast out to 200 nautical miles or more (370 kilometers plus). Boats cannot deliberately approach closer than 100 meters to any whale, and must exercise a high level of caution within 300 meters of any whale. It is also not allowed to touch or feed whales inside the sanctuary.
Whatever your specific destination, whale watching trips in Australia are sure to provide ample opportunity to see and document the ocean's most majestic creatures.
Learn more about the joys of whale watching at http://www.planetwhale.com/
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