Whale Watching in Winter

Whale Watching in Winter

When you think of winter holiday destinations, you don’t automatically think of the beach do you?  Well in Victoria, many people do, and the reason is to welcome home some VIW’s (very important whales) from their long migration up from the colder antarctic waters.

The sheltered waters of Lady Bay become the nursing and playground for the Southern Right Whale between May and October. The protected bay is perfect for the gentle giants to give birth and raise their calves.

The whales migrate each winter from the cooler waters of the Antarctic and have been visiting since records began.

Watch from the shores as these massive creatures frolic in the water and put on a spectacular show of tail slapping, spy hopping and fluke waving as they loll about in the warmth of the coastal waters.

The Logan Beach Whale Watching Platform east of the Hopkins River, is a perfect viewing point.

Southern Right Whale Nursery

Almost every year between June and September, female Southern Right whales return to the waters of Warrnambool’s Logans Beach to calve. The whales often swim within a hundred metres off the shore. They can be viewed from a specially constructed platform in the sand dunes or from the beach.

For updates on whale sightings contact the Visitor Information Centre daily between 10am – 5pm on 1800 637 725.

Whale Trail Map

Download the map here

 

The Winter Whale Trail Itinerary

Download the map and let’s go! Along the Whale Trail through Warrnambool, Port Fairy and Portland, also known as the whale corridor, you’ll spot Southern Right, Humpback, Blue and the occasional Orca. Here is all you need to know before you jump in the car for this must-do winter road trip.

See the Whale Trail itinerary

 

Why Do Whales Come to Warnambool?

Southern Right Whales have been visiting Warrnambool for hundreds of years. Once they were hunted almost to the point of extinction, but since whaling was outlawed in 1935, their numbers have been growing.

In summer, Southern Right whales live in the sub-Antarctic. In winter, they migrate to warmer waters around the southern areas of Australia.

The females migrate to the ‘nursery’ areas close to the shore to bear their calves, while the males, yearlings and young adults remain further out to sea.

The normal pattern for Warrnambool whales is for them to snoop around the coast for a few days and then start heading to Logans Beach. Once the Logans Beach area has been ‘scouted’ by the mother whale they go back out to sea and have their calf.

They then return to Logans Beach to care for their new born whale calf through winter before returning to the southern oceans in September and October

Accommodation Nearby

Things To Do Nearby

Daizy Boutique

Warrnambool

Taylors Surfodesy

Warrnambool

Limousines of Warrnambool

Warrnambool

Elm Lifestyle Store

Warrnambool

Places To Eat & Drink

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Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the Great Ocean Road region the Wadawurrung, Eastern Maar & Gunditjmara. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging. We recognise and respect their unique cultural heritage and the connection to their traditional lands. We commit to building genuine and lasting partnerships that recognise, embrace and support the spirit of reconciliation, working towards self-determination, equity of outcomes and an equal voice for Australia’s first people.