Whale watching in Australia

Whale watching in Australia is a popular recreational pursuit and a tourist activity along various coasts. In 2008, whale and dolphin watching was worth an estimated A$31 million in direct expenditure to the Australian economy with an estimated 1.6 million tourists participating in the activity.Whaling in Australia took place from 1788 to 1978 and was once commercially successful. The Australian Whale Sanctuary was established in 1999 to protect dolphins and whales from hunting. Humpback whales are the most common species seen in the waters surrounding Australia while Southern right whales, Minke whales and Blue whales are also seen.

Whale watchers are restricted to approaches as close as 300 metres (984 ft) in order to protect the animals.

In Western Australia, whales are watched near Cape Naturaliste in the south-east Indian Ocean and at Cape Leeuwin where the Indian and Southern Oceans meet. Whale watching cruises operate along the west coast around Perth and Fremantle and as far north as Broome.

In the Southern Ocean there are many spots to see whales, both from land or aboard ship. Southern Right Whales are seen June–August along the south coast of Australia. They are often readily viewed from the coast around Encounter Bay near Victor Harbor and up to a hundred at a time may be seen from the cliff tops at the head of the Great Australian Bight near Yalata. Albany on the south coast of Western Australia the town where the last land based whaling station in the southern hemisphere was located is now home to a thriving whale watching industry. In Victoria a popular site is Logan's Beach at Warrnambool, as well as in the waters off Port Fairy and Portland. In Tasmania whales can be seen all along the east coast and even on the River Derwent. In South Australia whales are watched in the Great Australian Bight Marine Park areas and closer to Adelaide at Victor Harbor. During a good season it is estimated that approximately 400,000 people visit the region around Encounter Bay and spend some time whale watching.

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