Whalesong Cruises is an owner-operated Hervey Bay business run by Ben Duffy from the Great Sandy Straits Marina in Urangan. It has one boat, MV Whalesong, and one clear idea: every whale watch includes a meal. Its morning trip serves morning tea and lunch; its afternoon trip serves afternoon tea and dinner at sunset. The operator calls itself "the only half day Whale Watch boat tour in Hervey Bay to include meals" — its own claim. Others serve lighter food: Tasman Venture, for one, includes tea and an antipasto platter.
GetYourGuide sells three Whalesong trips, and the mapping is confirmed from the listings: the whale watch with meal, the pre-season whale and dolphin cruise, and the K'gari (Fraser Island) half-day beach cruise.
What Whalesong Cruises runs in Hervey Bay
| Trip | Hours | When | Food | On GetYourGuide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whale Watch, Extended Morning | 5 h, 8 am–1 pm | Mid-July to mid-October | Morning tea, lunch | A$160 |
| Whale Watch, Afternoon + Sunset | 4 h, 2–6 pm | Mid-July to early October | Afternoon tea, dinner | same listing |
| Whale Search / Dolphin Watch | 5 h, 8 am–1 pm | Late June to mid-July | Morning tea, buffet lunch | A$145 |
| K'gari West Coast Beach + BBQ | 5 h, 9 am–2 pm | November–May | Morning tea, BBQ lunch | A$160 |
| Hervey Bay Sunset Cruise | about 1.5 h | November–June | Seafood canapés, one drink | — |
GetYourGuide prices are checked regularly. Whalesong's FAQ gives the whale season as "mid-July to late-October", with the guaranteed window running from mid-July to mid-October. The Queensland Government names August to October as the main whale-watching window.
Some descriptions of Whalesong mention a full-day whale cruise; there is none on the operator's site. The longest trip is five hours. For the full-day boats, see half day vs full day.
The boat: MV Whalesong
MV Whalesong is a 16.4-metre motor catamaran launched in 2010: beam 6.8 m, draft 1.4 m, twin Cummins engines. It is not a sailing boat, and it is not 23 metres, whatever older listings say. It is surveyed for 100 people, but the operator takes a maximum of 75 on whale watches and 50 on the beach and sunset cruises.
Accessibility is a genuine strength. The operator describes a wheelchair ramp, an accessible toilet, and access to the side and rear decks and the main saloon, and it holds Quality Tourism Accessible Tourism accreditation. The one gap: the courtesy bus is not wheelchair accessible. There is no minimum age on the Whale Search, beach or sunset cruises, and infants 0–3 travel free.
Whalesong prices: direct vs GetYourGuide
The whale watch page on whalesong.com.au still shows its dates and fare table labelled for an earlier season, and the sunset and beach pages carry similar "valid to" notes. The operator's published fares may not be current, so we do not quote them as today's prices — use the booking page on whalesong.com.au for this season's fares.
What the fare table does tell you is the structure: adult, concession, teen (15–17), child (4–14), infant free (0–3), and family fares for two adults with two or three children. Families of four or five usually come out ahead booking a family fare direct.
GetYourGuide lists the whale watch with meal at A$160, the pre-season cruise at A$145 and the K'gari beach cruise at A$160. The operator also offers direct bookers on-board spending credit or a gift, and Companion Card holders pay half fare. More on fare tactics in whale watching prices and deals.
Whalesong whale watching: the guarantee, the rules, the catches
The sighting policy, in the operator's words: "you will be given a free return cruise until you see whales." You can transfer the voucher or trade it for a Beach + BBQ or sunset cruise. "No refunds will be given." The pre-season Whale Search cruise is different: "We don't guarantee any wildlife on this cruise."
Whalesong does not offer whale swims; if that is your goal, read our swim-with-whales guide.
Cancellations booked direct: full refund more than 48 hours before departure for groups under eight; larger groups should contact the office. Optional cancel-for-any-reason cover is sold.
Whalesong reviews and awards
We did not collect Tripadvisor or Google scores and we do not paraphrase reviews we cannot link. On GetYourGuide:
- Whale watch with meal: ★4.8 from 226 reviews.
- K'gari half-day beach cruise: ★4.7 from 323 reviews.
- Pre-season whale and dolphin cruise: ★4.8 from 28 reviews.
The operator lists Marine Tourism Award wins at the Fraser Coast Business and Tourism Awards three years in a row (a "Hall of Fame" entry), plus Innovation, Best Fraser Coast Business and Customer Service awards. It states "Advanced" Ecotourism Australia certification.
Beyond whales: K'gari, sunset and charters
Outside whale season, the West Coast Beach + BBQ is a five-hour run to a K'gari west-coast beach with a barbecue of steak, sausages and Hervey Bay king prawns, plus kayaks, snorkelling gear and tube rides. It is shorter and cheaper than a full remote-island day; the remote west coast guide compares the two.
The sunset cruise is about 90 minutes with seafood canapés and one complimentary drink. The operator stresses "this is NOT a dinner cruise". It is not on GetYourGuide; our sunset cruise guide lists the ones that are. Private charters take up to 80 guests.
Who should book Whalesong Cruises
Good fit: families (teen and child fares, no minimum age), anyone who wants a meal included rather than a biscuit, wheelchair users, and people who like the sunset light on the afternoon trip. Our Hervey Bay with kids page covers ages and seasickness.
Look elsewhere if: you want the smallest group (Blue Dolphin limits its boat to around 24), the shortest trip (Pacific Whale Foundation's three hours), or an underwater viewing window, which Whalesong does not advertise — Tasman Venture and Spirit of Hervey Bay do.
Our call
Pick Whalesong for a half-day whale watch where lunch or dinner is part of the ticket, especially with kids or a wheelchair user in the group.
It is the half-day option that feeds you properly, the boat has ramp access and an accessible toilet, it caps whale trips at 75 on a boat surveyed for 100, and its no-whales policy is a free return cruise you can transfer or swap.
Skip it if you want a whale swim, a small sailing boat, or a full day out — Whalesong's whale cruises run 4 to 5 hours.
Check Whalesong datesfrom A$160 · GetYourGuide
Questions people ask
Is Whalesong Cruises good for whale watching?
The GetYourGuide listing for its whale watch with a meal has ★4.8 from 226 reviews, and the operator lists Marine Tourism awards at the Fraser Coast Business and Tourism Awards three years running. The boat is a 16.4 m motor catamaran with side and rear decks. The draw is the meal and the comfort, not a small-group feel.
How much is Whalesong whale watching?
GetYourGuide lists the half-day whale watch with meal at A$160 (prices checked regularly). Whalesong's own page still shows its fare table labelled for an earlier season, with adult, concession, teen (15–17), child (4–14), free infant (0–3) and two family fares — so treat those figures as a guide and check the live booking page for the current season.
Is Whalesong a sailing catamaran?
No. MV Whalesong is a 16.4-metre motor catamaran with two Cummins engines, launched in 2010. Some older descriptions call it a 23-metre sailing catamaran; the operator's own spec page says otherwise. If you specifically want to sail, Blue Dolphin runs an 11.6 m sailing catamaran.
What does Whalesong's whale guarantee cover?
If you do not see a whale, you get a free return cruise until you do. You can pass the voucher to family or a friend, or swap it for a Beach + BBQ or sunset cruise. The operator states "No refunds will be given." The pre-season Whale Search cruise carries no guarantee at all.
Is there a Whalesong Cruises discount?
Whalesong gives direct bookers on-board spending credit or a gift, and Companion Card holders pay half fare. Family fares cover two adults with two or three children. There is no published promo code. For how its fares compare with other boats, see whale watching prices.
Can you take a wheelchair on Whalesong?
Yes, according to the operator: there is a ramp, an accessible toilet, and wheelchair access to the side and rear decks and the main saloon. It is accredited as an Accessible Tourism Operator. The courtesy bus is not wheelchair accessible, so arrange your own transfer to the marina.
Does Whalesong go to K'gari (Fraser Island)?
Yes, outside whale season. The West Coast half-day Beach + BBQ cruise runs 9 am to 2 pm, November to May, with a barbecue lunch, kayaks, snorkelling gear and tube rides on a west-coast beach. It is on GetYourGuide at A$160. For the full-day version, see the remote west coast guide.
Sources we checked
Page updated 23 September 2026 · GetYourGuide prices refreshed 23 September 2026 · How we work