Whales are on their way north and may be seen off the Bundaberg Region’s coast any day now and although they keep swimming, the economic benefit will stay in the region.
The first whale was spotted on 23 May last year by the crew onboard Lady Musgrave Experience’s Reef Empress and that kicked off a fantastic whale watching season.
Lady Musgrave Experience’s Shane Emms said although whales haven’t been spotted along the Bundaberg Region’s coastline just yet, they were keeping an eye out for them, and preparing for another sensational year with whale watching tours starting on 4 July.
“We will be starting the Australia Whale Experience season on 4 July – directly out of Bundaberg,” he said.
“Our aim is to put Bundaberg squarely on the map as the highest quality whale watching destination in Australia.
“We have been working closely and actively with the relevant authorities on the COVID-19 guidelines, and appropriate social distancing measures, so guests can rest assured the quality of the Australia Whale Experience and their safety this 2020 whale watching season.”
Flow-on effect of whale watching season to Bundaberg economy
Shane says other businesses in the Bundaberg Region would see growth and it would be a boost for the whole Bundaberg economy when the whale watching season starts.
“The flow-on effect for other businesses in Bundaberg is massive,” he said.
“If guests stay overnight our local economy benefits from the accommodation for our guests, their meals and entertainment while they are in the Bundaberg Region.
“The Australia Whale Experience is a half day activity which gives guests the opportunity to visit the Bundaberg Rum Distillery, Bundaberg Barrel, Hinkler Hall of Aviation or any other of our amazing attractions or activities in the region.
“We would really encourage everyone to share with all of their friends around Australia about the Australia Whale Experience. It’s the leading whale experience in Queensland and when everyone travels here the whole economy benefits.
“It’s a great way to be supporting the tourism industry, which was hit really hard over the COVID-19 period – we are doing everything we can to get Bundaberg back on the map and look forward to your support.”
Humpback whales have started their annual migration from Antarctica to Queensland, which covers 10,000kms (5000km each way) between May through to November.
Shane said as with all things in nature there wasn’t a set time for the humpback whales to arrive in the pristine waters of the Bundaberg Region’s coastline.
“There’s no fixed time as it is nature – you could start to see them off of the coast soon – but they will really fire up from early July onwards through until mid-October,” he said.
He said the coastal waters in Bundaberg Region were perfect for whale watching and they were known as the whale highway and full of interacting and playful whales.
“It’s the quality of the whale watching experience; we are uniquely placed to capture the whole whale family interacting on what we call the ‘whale highway’,” Shane said.
“Every year we are blessed with youthful juvenile whales playing and frolicking together, mothers and calves feeding and building up their reserves for the long trip south – it makes Bundaberg unique.
“Further south in the bay you are likely to see more mothers and calves and less of the extraordinary playfulness and breeching we always see here in the Bundaberg Region with the young energetic whales.
“Last season we had a 100 per cent success rate for in finding and seeing whales on the Australia Whale Experience.”
Shane said they understood this record wasn’t achieved anywhere else along the coastline.
“Bundaberg really is the new epicentre of whales for all whale enthusiasts around Australia and overseas,” he said.
“We can’t wait to get started and provide guests with the same very high standard of service and quality that guests receive on Lady Musgrave Experience with our Australia Whale Experience.”
Australia Whale Experience whale watching tours will run on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday during the season form 4 July until mid-October.
“We will have our season pass offer available again and actively encourage all of our past and future guests to join us and not miss out on this amazing adventure,” Shane said.
- For more information on Australia Whale Experience click here.
