Whale Watching in NSW, New South Wales 2025

New South Wales, mainly known for being home to both one of Australia's largest cities and the state's capital, Sydney, also serves as a prime destination for whale watching. The coast of New South Wales lies along the Humpback Highway–one of many migratory routes used by whales during their annual migration. Local tour operators offer whale-watching expeditions during the peak of whale migration, giving you a chance to spot these magical creatures.

Whale Migration Season

The migration of humpback whales near the NSW coast takes place between May and November. The season can be split into two parts depending on the direction of travel for the majority of whales during this time. The whales begin their yearly journey from their feeding grounds in Antarctica in May and June, heading towards the breeding grounds along the Australian coast. From August to November, whales start traveling south to Antarctica. The peak of whale sightings in New South Wales falls on June and July, once the whales settle in the coastal waters and begin their breeding and birthing process.

During the northern migration, the humpbacks head north between May and August mostly to give birth and to mate in the Coral Sea waters. At this time of year, they swim continuously at 3-6 miles per hour (5–9 km/h) and have regular surface intervals. During the southern migration, the whales head south from mid-August to November to return to the Antarctic feeding ground for the southern hemisphere summer. When they move southwards, they can swim for hours in any direction at a time, with less regular surface intervals.

Best Spots for Whale Sightings

The best shore locations to watch whales are on high points along the coast, headlands, and cliffs. Port Stephens is a large natural harbor in the Hunter Region of NSW. Southern right whales and humpbacks pass here during their annual migration but are best seen in October. Humpback mothers and their calves are easy to spot from Tomaree Head, which offers a panoramic view of the sea.

Eden is the historic whaling town, which is bordered by a green national park on one side and rocky cliffs on the other, making it a gorgeous spot for whale watching as humpbacks migrate along the south coast.

Whale Watching Spots in Sydney Area

There are a few whale-watching spots in the Sydney area. One of the best spots is the Cape Solander lookout within the Kamay Botany Bay National Park, just south of Sydney. Sometimes, whales are spotted as close as 656 feet (200 m) from the coast. La Perouse area of the park is open from 7 am until 8:30 pm from November through March and closes an hour earlier from April through October.

The Kurnell area is open from 7 am until 7.30 pm from August through May and from 7 am until 5:30 pm from June through July. La Perouse area is completely free to enter, while the Kurnell area requires an AU$8 fee. Another popular whale-watching spot is the Fairfax Lookout, North Head—the gateway to Sydney Harbour.

Whale Watching Tours

You can also join one of the private whale-watching tours running daily during the humpback seasons from various wharves around Sydney Harbour. The tours generally last around 2-3 hours and offer free return vouchers if you weren't able to see a whale. The cost varies around $59-90, depending on the tour operator. Expeditions depart from Circular Quay wharves, Darling Harbour, Palm Beach, and Ettalong Beach.