Port Stephens is a great spot to relax and enjoy the beauty of the coast. The whales seem to agree, which is why they’re often seen splashing and breaching along the coast on their 10,000 km annual breeding migration.
Every year over the winter months (between May and November), some 25,000 majestic humpback whales make the journey from the cool waters of Antarctica to the warm tropics of Far North Queensland. Along the way, they pass up and down the coast of New South Wales, giving locals and visitors a spectacular show along the way.
There’s more than one way to experience the Port Stephens whale season, which is why we’ve rounded up our pick of the best whale watching vantage points, tours and activities.
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Why see the whales in Port Stephens?
Just two hours north of Sydney, Port Stephens and the Newcastle region are a great place to start your whale watching adventure. This region offers a great mix of relaxing resorts, wildlife and outdoor activities to keep the whole family entertained.
Explore towering dunes and majestic rocky headlands, national parks and coastal reserves. The Port Stephens region is also home to bottlenose dolphins, koala habitats, and a small penguin breeding colony. The calm waters also make it a key stop along the whale migration route in NSW.
View the whales from a headland
For one of the best vantage points in the region, take a short hike up to the Tomaree Head Summit in Tomaree National Park. From here, you might spot a whale or two on their migration north. Best of all, this hike is free to do, and the return trek is only 2.2 km in length, which usually takes one or two hours to complete.
The views from the summit stretch across the coastline. On clear days, you can see all the way out to Cabbage Tree and Boondelbah islands, so bringing binoculars does help. They tend to come in handy when whale watching from dry land.
Make sure you also keep an eye out for a resident population of bottlenose dolphins that call this part of the NSW North Coast home. If you’re not visiting Port Stephens during whale watching season, you can view the dolphins year-round.
You can view the Tomaree Head Summit walk captured with Google Street View Trekker.
Alternatively, spot the whales breaching and spy-hopping from the Barry Park whale-watching platform, which is located at the southern end of Fingal Bay Beach.
Get up close with dolphin and whale watch tours in Nelson Bay
If you’d like to get out on the water, joining a dolphin and whale watching Nelson Bay tour from the marina is one of the best ways to experience it. Boats head into the bay during the season, when sightings are fairly common.
One of our favourites is Moonshadow Cruises, which offers one of the largest vessels in the region. The crew will keep you warm, dry and hydrated while you spend a few hours out at sea soaking in unforgettable moments with the whales as they pass through the region.
Where to stay during Port Stephens whale season
Naturally, we believe Oaks Port Stephens Pacific Blue Resort is the ideal base to explore the coast. Located in the heart of Port Stephens, the resort works for families, groups and couples with self-contained apartments and one of the largest pools in the Southern Hemisphere. Yes, our lagoon-style pool wraps around the entire resort, and you can swim laps, race to the finish or just float around.
