Have you ever wanted to get closer to Australian marine life?
I don’t just mean seeing them in theme parks or aquariums, but going out to watch the marine life in their natural environment. If that sounds good to you then go on a whale watching tour. It’s a truely unforgettable experience!
Whale watching season in Australia is May to November, as this is when the whales migrate to the warm waters of the Pacific to give birth. The Gold Coast is a great place for whale watching, among many other water activities. The tours usually start in the morning at Marina Mirage and finish at midday. To give you some insight with what to expect, I have shared my whale watching experience for you.
The boat tour departed Marina Mirage and took us out to the ocean to get up close to one of the biggest marine animals in the world – the majestic humpback whale. It’s not just a tour for leisure it’s also an educational experience. Before the tour I honestly didn’t know much about whales so I really enjoyed learning about this amazing animal. The tour guide told us about their habits and behaviours while we were watching the whales, such as slapping the water surface with the fin means the whale wants to communicate with other whales and show its location.
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- Say Hi to humans! Photo by c.yeung
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- Photo by c.yeung
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- Photo by c.yeung
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- Slapping fin to share its location Photo by c.yeung
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- Photo by c.yeung
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- People in the tour Photo by c.yeung
I watched the whale do a spinning breach, where they jump out of the water and land on their backs, it left me speechless! It’s an amazing and special experience. These whales are not trained to do this in front of us, they do it because they are happy and want to play near the boat, even though they are in the wild.
I also saw some adorable dolphins when they swam close to the boat. You may also be lucky enough to see a turtle or some native sea birds too.
Throughout the tour I felt that Australians are really well educated on wildlife conservation. Although these tours make money, they aren’t destroying the environment or hurting the wild animals, in fact they work very hard to raise awareness. I also learned humans are only a part of nature and we have the responsibility to treasure, protect and respect the animals too.
After the tour, I recommend you walk to the closest fish market to have lunch at Main Beach (Peter’s Fish Market is a local favourite). You may see some pelicans while eating your lunch. Be careful, they may want to share your lunch!
Getting there:
Public transport is easily accessible in the area. Jump on the Translink website to plan your journey.
- Southport: take the 704 bus from Southport bus station, get off at Sea World Drive at Mariners Cove
- Broadbeach: take the 705 bus from Broadbeach South station, get off at Sea World Drive at Mariners Cove
- Surfers Paradise: take the 705 bus from Surfers Paradise, get off at Sea World Drive at Mariners Cove
If you really want to have fun and have an amazing and unforgettable experience you should do a whale watching tour and get closer to the Australian marine life. You won’t regret it!
– Chin
