Dunsborough Whale Watching Season Highlights1 September 2025 Afternoon Tour
The whales seemed to know it was the first day of a new season. A juvenile humpback spent the first hour breaching non-stop, with 6–7 leaps in a row before surfacing to breathe. Plumes of white water were visible in every direction. Larger whales soon drew our attention. These impressive individuals displayed pectoral slaps and rolling breaches, showing their strength and size. One even torpedoed towards the boat in a spectacular breach. Across the tours, we counted over 100 breaches. It was an incredible opening day for the season. 
4 September 2025 Afternoon Tour
Sunshine and whale activity filled the afternoon. Small groups surfaced around us, showing off their tails and pectoral fins. In the distance, breaches erupted at different points across the bay. A playful pair of juveniles stayed close to our port side. To add to the excitement, bottlenose dolphins joined the fun. As we prepared to head home, a whale performed an unforgettable farewell breach. It was the perfect end to the week before the cold front rolled in.
9 September 2025 Afternoon Tour
Calm conditions set the scene for dolphins and whales. A pod of bottlenose dolphins approached Alison Maree, bow riding for several minutes. One female rolled belly up, making eye contact with passengers before gliding away. Soon after, pectoral slapping humpbacks caught our attention. As they became elusive, we searched wider across the bay. At Bunker Bay and Castle Rock, more whale reports came in. Then, a pod of common dolphins, with distinct white flanks, rode our bow and wake. To finish, we followed three pods of travelling humpbacks near Eagle Bay. 
11 September 2025 Afternoon Tour
The afternoon brought social and active humpbacks. Early close passes gave us great views of a juvenile swimming in clear, calm waters. Later, two powerful humpbacks stole the show. They lunged out of the water beside the boat, jaws slightly ajar, showing off their baleen. The light of the afternoon made the moment unforgettable. Head lunging is often a playful act, but it can also be used for communication. On the way back to the moorings, we briefly encountered a dwarf minke whale and another pod of bottlenose dolphins.
19 September 2025 Morning Tour
The tour began quietly, but soon became an incredible charter. A bottlenose dolphin escorted us, bow riding and rolling upside down for several minutes. Nearby, a juvenile humpback surfaced cautiously, avoiding interaction. Reports of a southern right mother and calf off Gannet Rock soon drew us closer. In the shallows, we watched them resting in the turquoise water as sunlight broke through the clouds. At the same time, three humpbacks passed nearby, one breaching spectacularly before returning to calm behaviour. To end the trip, we met another group near Bunker Bay before returning to port.
Dunsborough Tours This Season
The 2025 Dunsborough whale watching season has already delivered extraordinary encounters. From playful dolphins to breaching humpbacks and relaxed southern rights, the diversity of wildlife has thrilled passengers.
Dunsborough is one of the best whale watching locations in Western Australia. The season runs from mid-August to the end of November. During this time, thousands of humpbacks migrate through Geographe Bay, joined by southern right whales and the occasional minke whale. Dolphins are also regular companions on our tours.
Our departures leave from the Professional Fisherman’s Boat Ramp in Quindalup, only a short drive from Dunsborough town centre. The sheltered waters of Geographe Bay provide excellent conditions, with close-up encounters often taking place near the coastline.
If you are planning your visit, join Naturaliste Charters for one of our unforgettable dunsborough tours. You can find us at the Quindalup boat ramp, where your journey into the heart of whale watching begins.
