Watching Whales in Sydney – Some Great Rare Opportunities

Whale watching is one of the greatest past-times in Sydney. The passion for whale watching has increased among Australians in the recent years, and in order to accommodate the increased number of enthusiastic people, there are about 38 vantage points in Sydney and its surrounding areas for whale watching.

You can spot whales in Sydney from mid-May to mid-November. From May to August, the whales are migrating to the warmer northern waters for breeding purposes. Then from August to November, they return to Antarctic waters with their calves to eat tonnes of plankton.

In this article, we will briefly mention the types of whales that you can spot in Sydney. Tourists and locals have had terrific experiences with whales in the Australian waters and have had the chance to spot some amazing species of whales as well.

1-    The Whales

There are about 30,000 whales that migrated this year, they offer a spectacular view to both tourists and locals. You can watch them migrate along the New South Wales coastline as the pass twice a year on their north and south-bound migration. Thousands of people line up to experience the show these whales put up in the wild. The best part of the whale-watching experience is when you get to see a whale breach. It’s just simply awesome.

2-    Humpback Whales

Humpback whales are the most common whale seen off the NSW coast. They are often the most curious and also can be very acrobatic. Watching them from the water onboard a whale watching cruise is definitely the best place to get close to the action.

3-    Minke Whales

Minke whales are basically a type of baleen whale and they can be further classified into two types –common minke whale and Antarctic minke whale. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to spot one of these as well on the tour.

4-    Migaloo the White Whale

Migaloo is the world’s most beloved male white humpback whale that is often spotted off the coast of Australia while on its way to the Antarctic. Scientists aren’t exactly sure if Migaloo is actually a true albino whale or its hypo-pigmentation is because of its genes. However, it’s one of the three white humpbacks spotted in the region that somewhat remind us all of Moby Dick. Owing to the fact that Migaloo is so special, it gets VIP treatment and extra protection under Queensland and Commonwealth Government legislation. No vessel is allowed to come near him, but you can easily spot him from a distance.

5-    The Calves

It’s always special when one gets to spot calves in the pod of migrating whales. It’s mostly during the southern journey from August to November early, where mothers with their calves make their way to the Antartic. Mothers and calves swim close to each other and often stop in safe areas that are close to beaches to feed and rest.

It’s highly likely that the whale you spot on your tour is a humpback. But you never know when you might catch a glimpse of a baleen, minke, Bryde’s, or perhaps Migaloo whale.