G’day whale lovers, Spring has arrived in Sydney and, just beyond the beaches, one of the most fascinating wildlife events on any urban coastline is getting underway. The humpback whales are heading south. After travelling north earlier in the year to the warmer waters where they breed and give birth, they are now beginning the long trip back towards their feeding grounds in Antarctica. The southbound migration generally runs from around August through to November, with increasing numbers of whales passing Sydney as spring progresses. For anyone heading out on a whale watching cruise this season, it is an exciting time to be on the ocean. Once you know a little more about what you are seeing, an encounter with a humpback becomes even more remarkable. So as the southern migration gets underway, here are a few things to look for on your next trip.
G’day whale lovers, Every winter, something remarkable happens just beyond Sydney Heads. Tens of thousands of humpback whales travel past the city on one of the longest migrations of any mammal on Earth, turning Sydney’s coastline into one of Australia’s great wildlife destinations. A whale watching cruise with Go Whale Watching Sydney begins right in the heart of the city, departing Darling Harbour and heading out beneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge and past the Opera House before reaching the open Pacific, where the humpbacks steal the show. But what makes the experience even more extraordinary is this, only a few decades ago, this migration looked very different.
A whale watching cruise with Go Whale Watching Sydney begins right in the heart of the city, departing from Darling Harbour on a three-hour whale watching cruise.
After two years in the build, 35 days at sea, and 5,300 nautical miles in her wake, our brand-new whale watching vessel, Whale Dreamer, is finally here in Sydney.
Go Whale Watching Sydney’s 2026 season is now underway, with tours departing Darling Harbour on 3-hour cruises. Get your tickets today!
There’s whale watching… and then there’s the best Sydney whale watching experience of your life! The kind you talk about long after you’re back on dry land.
Welcome aboard, Out on the water, a whale’s presence is usually marked by a spout of mist, a fluke (tail), or if you’re lucky, a dramatic breach. But beneath the surface, a world of sound and communication is unfolding. Humpback whales are known for their long, complex, and ever-changing songs, creating one of the most complex soundscapes in the natural world.
An estimated 11 million tonnes of plastic ends up in the ocean every year, and that’s in addition to the millions of metric tons of plastic already in our oceans.
Whales swim further than most people fly in a lifetime. Whales are so impressive that they’re certified in the legendary Guinness World Records.
Greetings from the big blue, Not too long ago, spotting a humpback whale off the Sydney coast would have been a rare and extraordinary occurrence. Today, it’s an annual event spanning six months, something we look forward to every winter as these ocean giants breach, blow and slap their way along the east coast of Australia. It’s one of the most powerful conservation stories in Australia’s history, but first we have to go back 200 years to a darker chapter in the whale story.