The South West region of Western Australia really is a nature lover spectacle. One of the best things this region has to offer though is the incredible sightings of the MIGHTY whale migration, let me tell you about TWO of the BEST Whale Watching Experiences and attractions South West WA has to offer!
Whale Watching Busselton
Whale watching Busselton, a serene, awe inspiring family friendly experience that will leave you with a deeper love and passion for the ocean as well as the majestic creatures that live and thrive in it!
Whale Watching in Busselton is best between the months of September – November. This is generally the only time where charter operators will have tours available to see the whales from Busselton. You may strike it lucky in other months and see some whales from the shoreline as there are whales that do move through slightly earlier or later than the “normal” season.
When joining Naturaliste Charters for your Whale Watching Tour from Busselton you will board the 60FT Conquest vessel “Dhu Force” from the protected waters of the Port Geographe Marina which is located only 10km from the Busselton town centre. The boarding location is conveniently located next to the Deck Bar and Restaurant, a great spot to stop before or after your tour for a coffee or something more substantial!
Dhu Force is a family friendly vessel with an air-conditioned cabin, toilet, handwashing facilities and best of all multiple viewing decks to make the most of your whale viewing experience! Dhu Force is a large vessel however we can only welcome 23 passengers on board, making it substantially smaller than our whale watching vessel in Dunsborough.
Great news though, the smaller vessel truly enables a more intimate, close up and personal day with the whales!
On tour we often cruise past the Busselton Jetty (one of the best attractions South West WA) where the whales are readily sighted during peak season! We then head out to the 20-30m depth zone which we like to call the “humpback highway” where the majority of the whales migrate between September and December! The larger adult whales use the deeper waters as a channel where we always encounter energetic surface activity from BREACHING, tail-slapping and…our favourite SPY-HOPPING! This is where the whales lift their entire heads out of the water and open their eyes to check us out on the deck!!!! There is nothing quite like staring at a 40 tonne animal in the eye as they look back at you as if they’re “people watching’…if only we knew what they were thinking!
From energetic juveniles to boisterous males and newborn calves there are endless encounters to be had on the Dhu Force! Not to mention the weather throughout our Busselton season consists of calm and crystal-clear waters as far as the eye can see! We also suggest keeping your eye on the horizon every now and again where we see HUGE plumes of white water erupting at the surface as pods of whales communicate in the distance through BREACHING!
We may be biased but we think that our Busselton Whale Watching Experience is one of the best attractions in South West, WA!
Whale Watching in Dunsborough
Next up another AMAZING location for Whale Watching in the South West… This beautiful coastal town with the laid-back vibe is only a 20-minute drive down the road from Busselton, funny enough it was also voted as the second BEST Whale Watching location in Australia and is the home town of Naturaliste Charters. This picturesque stunning destination is called Dunsborough!
Dunsborough is home to unique stores, it is close to award winning wineries and restaurants and hosts some of the best beaches and attractions South West WA has to offer. What makes this destination even better is the fact that during September – November you have incredible chances of seeing whales in the bay as more than 35,000 Humpback Whales and Blue Whales migrate through on their way back south to Antarctica, trust us when we say it is truly INCREDIBLE!
For the best Whale Watching experience from Dunsborough, you will need to join a tour between September – November. All tours depart from the Professional Fisherman’s Boat Ramp which is on Geographe Bay Road, about a 5 minute drive from the Dunsborough town centre.
Our Dunsborough Whale Watching tours are unique as we load our customers from the beach which really sets the tone for the tour! You walk along the sand towards the glistening water, here you will walk across a custom-built gangway/ramp, you will then step into our tender vessel “Indi Maree” which then our crew will then transfer you over to our larger vessel “Alison Maree”. Do not worry, it’s not anything awkward and is easily enough done, we really think this process adds to the experience!
Geographe Bay
The Alison Maree is a 20m Purpose built catamaran, with multiple viewing decks and all areas access for an optimal experience with the whales from all angles! Geographe Bay is the last place these incredible animals stop in the south-west before heading back to their feeding grounds which are all the way down in Antarctica. The southern right whales also breed, calve and rest in the area for extended periods making whale watching in the south-west extremely accessible for EVERYONE, even from the shore!
Regular occurrences include being MUGGED by humpback whales and their curious 3 month old calves, dolphins riding our bow and stern, southern right whales frolicking in the shallows AND blue whales steaming past us in less than 10m of water!!!! We are SO lucky in Geographe Bay to frequently witness the BLUE WHALE which is the worlds LARGEST animal that has EVER existed, even bigger than ANY dinosaur that has roamed the earth! These 25-33m alien-like giants extend 10m longer than our vessel and ALWAYS provide a jaw-dropping experience!!
On the odd occasion we have also had visits by Dwarf and Minke whales! We have also sighted mako sharks, hammerheads, whites, bronzes, duskies, turtles, seals, stingrays and MUCH MORE!
We have left the BEST cetacean till last as this season we have had over 5 confirmed sightings of KILLER WHALES extending from Perth, Bunbury and all the way down to Cape Naturaliste which is where we venture to on our Dunsborough whale watching charters! The orca sightings are becoming more frequent as they are starting to follow the southern migration of the humpbacks as they tend to target the calves! The killer whales hunt in family pods and seperate the mothers from the calves, break the youngsters jaw and only eat the tongue as it’s the most nutrient dense past of the animal! We have also encountered over 5 humpbacks with their dorsal fins missing from killer whale attacks, it’s great to see they survived the hunt!! It surely won’t be long until we have a sighting of these apex predators on one of our tours!!!!
On the odd occasion we have also had visits by Dwarf and Minke whales! We have also sighted mako sharks, hammerheads, whites, bronzes, duskies, turtles, seals, stingrays and MUCH MORE!
We have left the BEST cetacean til last as this season we have had over 5 confirmed sightings of KILLER WHALES extending from Perth, Bunbury and all the way down to Cape Naturaliste which is where we venture to on our Dunsborough whale watching charters! The orca sightings are becoming more frequent as they are starting to follow the southern migration of the humpbacks as they tend to target the calves! The killer whales hunt in family pods and seperate the mothers from the calves, break the youngsters jaw and only eat the tongue as its the most nutrient dense past of the animal! We have also encountered over 5 humpbacks with their dorsal fins missing from killer whale attacks, its great to see they survived the hunt! ! It surely won’t be long until we have a sighting of these apex predators on one of our tours!!!!
A picture really does speak 1000 words
In this case a picture really does speak 1000 words! The crystal clear waters allow you to sight ALL of these magnificent marine mammals of the deep below the surface as they rise from the depths RIGHT beside the vessel! The feeling you get when a whale lifts its head out of the water to look you in the eye is indescribable AND for many, a once in a lifetime experience! If this hasn’t enticed you to come whale watching in the most affordable, accessible and BEAUTIFUL part of the south-west then heres a few more reasons why you should visit this incredible part of the world!
For the best whale watching experience from Busselton and Dunsborough, you should of course join the founders of whale watching (in the South West), Naturaliste Charters who were established back in 1993. Why choose us you may ask; Naturaliste Charters is a fully accredited and verified Eco Tourism company. We have an experienced, passionate and professional crew, and the company is owned and operated by a local South West family. Naturaliste Charters have the knowledge, the passion, and the expertise to give you a whale watching experience that you will remember for quite some time!
Things to do in the area before or after your tour!
1. There are an endless number of impressive and highly rated Wineries & Breweries from Busselton all the way to Margaret River with exceptional food, ambiance and views! A few of the crews favourites include, Wild Hop Brewery, Wise Winery (views of the ocean), Cheeky Monkey, Black Brewing Co and Aravina Estate!
2. Yallingup, which was just voted top town in Australia for 2019 by the Australian Traveller Magazine! (Check out Caves House and all the incredible Caves in the area!)
3. Smiths Beach and Indjidup Spa, two areas that will blow your mind with their natural beauty!
4. The Mazes! A great afternoon adventure for the family!
5. Sugarloaf Rock for sunset (where orca have been sighted on multiple occasions this season)!!!
6. Busselton Jetty, were sure this one is already on your radar but you can even sight whales from the end of the jetty during peak whale season (Sept-Dec)
7. The beaches! Meelup Beach has been voted one of the BEST beaches in the WORLD! Eagle Bay, Bunker Bay, Castle Bay…ALL of these beaches are located down Cape Naturaliste Road, a short 5min drive out of Dunsborough!
If you’d like to experience some of these amazing whale watching experiences and attractions South West WA, contact us on 08 9750 5500 to get your booking in now!
