When is whale-watching season on the Gold Coast?

Whale-watching season on the Gold Coast is June to October. The best month for a whale-watching cruise on the Gold Coast is August.

Queensland’s Gold Coast is one of many locations in Australia where you can see whales – but only if you visit at the right time. To choose from several Gold Coast whale-watching tours, head this way.

For more information, read on.

Tens of thousands of humpback whales pass the Gold Coast every year on their way to and from their breeding grounds further north. But the annual whale migration is very much a seasonal thing.

Whale-watching season on the Gold Coast

As a general rule, whale-watching season on the Gold Coast is June to October. Some years they’ll come early and leave late, stretching the season somewhat, but for reliable whale sightings on the Gold Coast, visit between June and October.

7 Gold Coast experiences worth booking in advance

See waterfalls and natural wonders – on a full day Springbrook National Park tour.
Be awed by massive migrating humpbacks – on a great value whale-watching cruise.
Feast as you explore the Gold Coast waterways – on a dinner cruise.
Kayak with dolphins and snorkel with hundred of sub-tropical fish – on the same tour.
Enjoy high speed thrills along the waterways – on a jet boat adventure.
Glide above the beautiful hinterland – on a serene hot air balloon flight.
Taste the best Scenic Rim wines – on an indulgent Tamborine Mountain wine tour, with lunch.

The best month for whale-watching on the Gold Coast

The closer to the middle of whale-watching season you arrive, the better the chance of seeing the whales. The best month for whale-watching on the Gold Coast is August.

Gold Coast whale-watching cruises

It is possible to see whales from land on top of some of the Gold Coast’s headlands. A good spot is the Mick Schamburg Park lookout between Burleigh Beach and Miami Beach.

But the best way to see whales on the Gold Coast is as part of a specialist whale-watching tour. There are several Gold Coast whale-watching cruises to choose from, many of them quite similar. You can find a big list of options here, but the following are worth particular consideration.

Best Gold Coast whale-watching tours

The Sea World Cruises whale-watching trip lasts around two-and-a-half hours, and departs from the Sea World Cruises Terminal in Main Beach. This is handy for self-drivers who want free parking, and the tour costs $119.

Also departing from Main Beach, the Kokomo Cruises whale-watching tour is a good bet if you’re got a tighter budget. These trips only cost $75, and can be booked with instant confirmation.

From just over the border in Chinderah, NSW, Cooly Eco Adventures runs swimming with whales tours that allow you to get in the water with the migrating humpbacks. The three-and-a-half hour whale swim experience costs $339. Book online.

All prices are correct at the time of writing, but subject to change in the future.