The whale watching season is from June to October with both Humpback and the more special Southern Right whales coming close to shore for calving. The surrounding heath land and protective shrubs of the wildflower walk, commonly referred to as Kwongan vegetation, attract many species of birds and small marsupials.
There are several Tour Operators that provide vessels to have an up close and personal experience with the whales in Albany. The 'Ocean Giants Lookout Kit' (which can be obtained from Tourism WA) also has everything you need for land-based whale watching along the spectacular Albany coastline. It includes general information about whales & their behaviour, a map of prime lookout locations including: Whale World, Sandpatch, Rotary Lookout, Bremer Bay (John Cove) and Point Ann.
The 'Ocean Giants Lookout Kit' is an environmental tourism initiative of Tourism WA that gives you the opportunity to help protect one of the world's most magnificent animals by recording your sightings of Humpback and Southern Right whales.
Sandpatch, 20 mins from Albany Centre, is also the location of a new wind farm and a recently upgraded boardwalk and lookout on the State's premier walk trail - the Bibbulmun Track, which runs nearly 1000kms from Perth to Albany.
Go Whale Watching!
Below is a list of Tour Operators that can provide information on Tours.
Click here for a record of Whale Sightings in the Great Southern Region of Western Australia
Rules for Whale Watching
Only persons with vessels licensed by CALM are to operate commercial vessel tours involving whale watching.
- Persons on private vessels (including everything from surfboards and kayaks to yachts and launches) do not require whale watching licences, but must adhere to these rules and guidelines governing whale watching.
- Aircraft are not permitted to fly within 300 metres of a whale, except by special authorisation.
- Swimming with, feeding or touching whales is not permitted. Such actions may cause stress to the whale and are dangerous to people. If you are in the water and a whale approaches, you must endeavour to keep a minimum of 30 metres distance between yourself and the whale.
- Any marine vessel, whether powered by a motor, paddle or sail that is within a distance of 300 metres from a whale is within the whale's contact zone. The following special rules apply within the contact zone.
- A vessel must not cause a whale to alter its direction or speed of travel.
- A vessel must not disperse or separate a group of whales.
- A vessel, whether under power or drifting, must not approach a whale from a direction within an arc of 60 degrees of the whale's direction of travel or an arc of 60 degrees of the whale's opposite direction of travel (see Figure 1).
- A vessel must not approach a whale within a distance of 100 metres (except licensed 'RESEARCH' vessels in particular circumstances).
- Where a whale approaches a vessel and the distance between the whale and the vessel becomes less than 100 metres, the vessel master must place its motor or motors in neutral or move the vessel at less than five knots away from the whale until the vessel is outside the contact zone.
- A vessel must not block the direction of travel of a whale, or any passage of escape available to a whale, from an area where escape is otherwise prevented by a barrier, shallow water, vessel or some other obstacle to the whale's free passage.
A vessel master must abandon any interactions with a whale at any sign of the whale becoming disturbed or alarmed.
Remember:
- If whales are diving for prolonged periods or swimming evasively, you are disturbing and upsetting them. Leave them alone. It is an offence to harass whales, and they may permanently abandon an area if continually disturbed.
Click here for
Whales of the Great Southern
Whale Watching Guide
