G’day whale lovers,
The last of the southbound humpbacks are passing Sydney Heads, the mothers and calves are well on their way to Antarctica, and our crew is tying up for the summer. Before we do, we wanted to say thank you. 2026 was our biggest season ever, and that is because of every one of you who climbed aboard at King Street Wharf, pulled on a jacket and came out through the Heads with us. This month we are looking back on the season, and on the simple question we get asked more than any other on the boat. Why is Sydney so good for whales?
Why Is Sydney One of the Best Places in the World to Watch Whales?
Sydney sits directly on the Humpback Highway, the migration route that carries around 40,000 humpback whales up and down the east coast of Australia every year, and the whales pass within sight of the city. Between May and November they travel north to the breeding grounds off Queensland and then back south to Antarctica, and the whole population funnels past Sydney Heads twice. Very few cities in the world have a migration of that size running past their front door.g is no accident. Mothers conceive in the warm tropical waters where they breed, spend the following year feeding in Antarctica and migrating, then return to those same warm waters to give birth almost twelve months later.
The geography does the rest. The continental shelf is narrow off Sydney, so the whales travel close to the coast, and the sandstone headlands from Cape Solander to North Head give them something to follow. From Darling Harbour we are through the Heads and in whale water quickly, which is why a Sydney whale watching cruise fits into a morning or an afternoon rather than a whole day. Add the harbour itself, the Opera House and the Bridge sliding past on the way out, and you have a whale watching experience that is hard to match anywhere.
What Made the 2026 Season One to Remember?
It was a mild, warm winter in Sydney, and the whales seemed to agree with it. We had sightings on cruise after cruise from the first northbound whales in May through to the final mothers and calves in November, and the sheer number of whales on the move made this our biggest season in 18 years of operating from Sydney. We saw competition pods charging north in June and July, curious juveniles coming right alongside the boat, and some very relaxed mothers and calves drifting south through spring.
Every one of those days was recorded by our very talented team of whale photographers, who capture what we see on each cruise so you can take the moment home with you. A special thanks to them, and in particular to our Ariel. Here are her three favourite whale shots from the season. You can follow her at @ab_wildlife.
What Did We Notice on the Water This Year?
After 18 years of whale watching from Sydney we have seen plenty of change, and not all of it is good news. This season we noticed a record number of whales entangled in fishing gear. We reported every one of those sightings to the authorities, but very few of those whales were successfully freed. We would like to see the whale watching industry working more closely with the authorities so that entangled whales get help faster, and we will keep pushing for that over the summer.
You can help too. If you see a whale that you think may be entangled or in distress anywhere on the NSW coast, phone ORRCA on (02) 9415 3333. The sooner a sighting is reported, the better the chance of a rescue.
When Does Whale Watching Season Start Again in Sydney?
The whales will be back from May 2027, when the first northbound humpbacks appear off Sydney Heads, and our cruises will be back on the water with them. Until then our crew will be looking after the boats, catching up on sleep and counting the days.
Looking for a Christmas Gift?
A whale watching gift voucher is one of the easiest presents you will buy this Christmas. It gives someone a morning or afternoon on the water with the whales next season, and it never gets left in a drawer. Vouchers are available online for both our 3-hour Whale Watching Cruise and the Whale Watching Adventure.
Join Us on Boxing Day for the Start of the Sydney to Hobart
Whale season might be over, but the boat is not finished for the year. Our annual Boxing Day cruise takes you out on the harbour for the start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, one of the great spectacles on the Sydney calendar, with the fleet charging for the Heads and the whole harbour out to see them off. Tickets are $225 per person and places are limited, so phone us on (02) 6495 1686 to book.
Thank you again for making 2026 our biggest season yet. Whether it was your first time or your fifteenth, it means a great deal to us if you chose to share the whales with our crew. Have a wonderful summer, keep an eye out for the odd late straggler off the headlands, and we can’t wait to welcome you aboard again in May.
See you on the water!
Captain Simon
