Hervey Bay whale watching boats: which type of boat to choose

Hervey Bay's whale watching boats come in four types: big motor catamarans of 20 to 24 m, mid-size motor catamarans of around 16 to 18 m, one 11.6 m sailing catamaran and one 12 m fast rigid inflatable. On GetYourGuide a half day costs A$119 to A$160 whichever type you pick (prices checked regularly), so choose the boat for comfort, crowd size and how close to the water you want to be, not on price.

Every boat works under the same rules. Queensland law keeps whale-watch boats 100 m from a whale (300 m in front of and behind it), and a boat may not enter the 300 m caution zone around a whale if three boats are already in it. A small boat cannot legally get closer than a big one. What changes is how the trip feels.

Fleet sheet

From each operator's own website. Guest numbers are what the operator says it carries on whale trips, or its survey or licence figure where that is all it publishes. Tasman Venture and Hervey Bay Whale Watch do not publish hull lengths, and Spirit of Hervey Bay does not publish a passenger number.

Vessel	Operator	Type	Length	Guests	Worth knowing
Spirit of Hervey Bay	Spirit of Hervey Bay	Catamaran	24 m (10 m wide)	Not published	Underwater viewing areas in each hull, waterline platform, hydrophones, multiple decks, 22 knots
M.V. Amaroo	Boat Club Adventure Cruises	Motor catamaran	20 m	Up to 95	Three viewing decks, 18 knots
Quick Cat II	Hervey Bay Whale Watch	Multi-deck vessel (type not stated)	Not published	100	5 viewing decks on 3 levels, wheelchair access around the main deck
Tasman Venture III, Pure Dive	Tasman Venture	Half-day boat listed as a fast catamaran	Not published	About 85 on the half day; max 35 on K'gari days	Water-level platform, underwater viewing window, hydrophone; amphibious tenders for beach landings
Freedom III	Freedom Whale Watch	Motor catamaran (built 1990)	17.7 m	Up to 48	Hydraulic lift platform, 14–18 knots, 3 toilets
MV Whalesong	Whalesong Cruises	Motor catamaran	16.4 m	Max 75 on whale trips	Ramp access and accessible toilet; meals on every whale trip
Ocean Defender	Pacific Whale Foundation	Rigid inflatable (RIB)	12 m	About 40	Four 225 hp outboards, top speed 43 knots; no under-5s
Blue Dolphin	Blue Dolphin Marine Tours	Sailing catamaran	11.6 m	Around 24	In-water platform, hydrophone, 7–8 knots under motor

Hervey Bay whale watching boats: the four types

Big catamarans (20–24 m). Spirit of Hervey Bay is the largest at 24 m by 10 m. The operator calls it "Hervey Bay's largest Vessel", with multiple viewing decks, underwater viewing areas in each hull, a waterline platform, hydrophones, a licensed bar, free Wi-Fi and four toilets. Boat Club's M.V. Amaroo is a 20 m catamaran with three viewing decks and room for up to 95. Hervey Bay Whale Watch's Quick Cat II, built in Hervey Bay (the operator does not state its hull type or length), has five viewing decks on three levels and a capacity of 100.

Mid-size motor catamarans (about 16–18 m where published). Tasman Venture's half-day boat is a fast catamaran with a water-level viewing platform, an underwater viewing window and a hydrophone, limited to about 85 people in whale season. The operator does not publish its length. Whalesong's MV Whalesong is a 16.4 m motor catamaran, surveyed for 100 but limited to 75 on whale trips. Freedom III is a 17.7 m motor catamaran built in 1990, licensed for up to 48 people in the bay, cruising at 14–18 knots.

Sailing catamaran (11.6 m). Blue Dolphin is the only sailing catamaran among the regular whale-watch operators. It is surveyed for 30 but the owners limit it to around 24. Under motor it cruises at about 7–8 knots, so this is a slow, quiet day: the whale trip is a full day, 7:30 am to about 3:30 pm. It carries a hydrophone and an in-water platform.

Fast rigid inflatable (12 m). Pacific Whale Foundation's Ocean Defender has four 225 hp outboards and a top speed of 43 knots, and takes about 40 people. It gets to the whales quickly and puts you low to the water, which is why its trip is only 3 hours. The operator does not take children under 5 or wheelchair users, and does not recommend the trip for people who are pregnant or have neck or back problems.

Catamaran vs sailing catamaran vs fast boat: what changes on the water

Stability. Most of the whale boats are catamarans. Two hulls spread the boat's weight, and longer, wider boats generally ride small waves more gently than short ones. The bay is sheltered from surf and wind by K'gari (Fraser Island), according to Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, but a breeze still builds chop. On the inflatable you feel every wave, and that is part of its appeal for some people.

Speed and time with whales. The whales spend their time on the K'gari side of the bay. A fast boat gets there sooner, which is how Pacific Whale Foundation fits a whale watch into 3 hours. A slow boat like Blue Dolphin makes up for it with a longer day. On a 4-hour trip, a boat that cruises at 18 to 22 knots is somewhere in between.

Height and viewing. High decks give you a wide view and a chance to spot blows further off. Water-level platforms, which Tasman Venture and Spirit of Hervey Bay both have, put you near eye level when a curious whale comes alongside. Underwater windows are a bonus rather than a promise, because what you see depends on the water that day.

Hydrophones. Tasman Venture, Spirit of Hervey Bay and Blue Dolphin all carry hydrophones, so on a good day you can hear the whales as well as see them.

Deck height, stability and seasickness

If anyone in your group gets seasick, choose a bigger catamaran, a half day and a morning departure. The Queensland Government says whales are best watched in calm conditions, most likely in the morning before the wind picks up. On board, the lower deck near the middle of the boat moves least, and fresh air and a view of the horizon help. Take seasickness tablets before you board, not once you feel ill.

Avoid the fast inflatable if you are prone to seasickness or have back trouble; the operator itself flags neck and back problems. Avoid long days too. Four hours of feeling ill is bad enough; six or eight is worse. For how the trip lengths compare, see half day vs full day.

Capacity: why the number on board matters

The whales do not care how many people are on the boat, but you will. On a boat carrying 85 to 100 people, the rail on the side the whale surfaces fills quickly. Big boats make up for it with more decks and more rail. On a boat with around 24 people you rarely have to wait for a spot.

The numbers the operators publish:

• Around 24: Blue Dolphin, a sailing catamaran surveyed for 30.
• About 40: Pacific Whale Foundation's inflatable.
• Up to 48: Freedom III.
• 75: Whalesong on whale trips, from a survey of 100.
• About 85: Tasman Venture's half day in whale season. Its K'gari days take a maximum of 35, which may rise when a larger vessel is substituted.
• Up to 95: M.V. Amaroo.
• 100: Quick Cat II.

Hervey Bay also limits the fleet itself: the Hervey Bay Whale Heritage Area listing says the number of whale-watch vessels that can access the marine park "is now capped".

Luxury whale watching in Hervey Bay

Nobody runs a superyacht whale watch here. Luxury in Hervey Bay means fewer people, more food and more time.

• Small group, full day: Blue Dolphin's sailing catamaran, around 24 people, with morning and afternoon tea, a buffet lunch and one drink, A$210 on GetYourGuide.
• Relaxed long day: Freedom's 6-hour cruise, up to 48 people, with three food services and a licensed bar, A$195.
• Meal included on a half day: Whalesong, lunch or dinner on board, A$160.
• Big-boat comforts: Spirit of Hervey Bay's licensed bar, Wi-Fi and underwater viewing areas.
• A boat to yourself: Freedom advertises private charters from A$3,000 for a 4-hour minimum, and Blue Dolphin advertises private sailing charters from A$1,500 to A$1,800 on different pages of its site.

Access, kids and which boat suits whom

• Wheelchair users: Whalesong (ramp, accessible toilet, main saloon and side and rear decks) and Quick Cat II (full access around the main deck, per the operator). Freedom and Pacific Whale Foundation cannot take wheelchair users. On Amaroo you need moderate mobility, with seven steps to the main cabin. Tasman's boats have a few steps to the forward deck and stairs to the upper decks.
• Young children: big and mid-size catamarans. Pacific Whale Foundation takes no under-5s, Blue Dolphin suggests 8 and over for its whale day, and Freedom does not recommend its cruise for infants. More in Hervey Bay with kids.
• Whale swimmers: four operators offer swims: Tasman Venture on its K'gari and whales day, Hervey Bay Whale Watch as a paid add-on on Quick Cat II, Hervey Bay Dive Centre on dedicated trips aboard M.V. Coral Gypsy, and Blue Dolphin opportunistically from its in-water platform, all only when conditions allow. See swimming with whales.

Picking a boat in one minute

• First whale watch, mixed group: a mid-size or big catamaran on a 4-hour morning trip. Tasman Venture's Encounter (A$155) or the 4-hour cruise with wide decks and underwater viewing windows (A$155), whose operator is not confirmed on GetYourGuide.
• Tight budget: Boat Club's M.V. Amaroo (A$120) gives you a 20 m catamaran for the price of the inflatable.
• Short on time, fit and keen: Pacific Whale Foundation's inflatable, 3 hours for A$119.
• Want quiet and a small group: Blue Dolphin's sailing catamaran, knowing there is no sighting guarantee.
• Want lunch and a slow day: Freedom III for 6 hours, or Whalesong for a half day with a meal.

Every boat here leaves from Urangan, mostly from the Great Sandy Straits Marina on Buccaneer Drive; the exact check-in point is on your voucher. For fares and guarantees boat by boat, see whale watching prices and deals, and for timing, the whale season guide.

Price board · GetYourGuide

Live prices in Australian dollars, per person unless marked, checked regularly. Cheapest first.

Trip	From	Time	Rating
Ultimate Whale Watching ExperienceUrangan	A$119	3 h	★ 4.8 (724)	Dates
Half-Day Whale-Watching CruiseUrangan	A$120	4 h	★ 4.8 (374)	Dates
Humpback Whale-Watching Half-Day CruiseUrangan	A$120	4 - 5 h	★ 4.8 (243)	Dates
Pre-season Whale and Dolphin Watching CruiseUrangan	A$145	5 h	★ 4.8 (28)	Dates
Half-Day Whale Watching CruiseUrangan	A$155	4 h	★ 4.9 (76)	Dates
Hervey Bay 4-Hour Whale Watch EncounterUrangan	A$155	4 h	★ 4.9 (654)	Dates
Half-Day Whale Watching Cruise with MealUrangan	A$160	4 h	★ 4.8 (226)	Dates

Our call

For most people, a mid-size or large catamaran: Tasman Venture's Encounter if you want the water-level platform and underwater window, or the 4-hour cruise with wide decks and underwater viewing windows if room to move comes first.

Twin hulls, room to move off the rail, toilets and shelter make a 4-hour trip easy for everyone, and the water-level platforms put you near eye level with the whales. Choose the small sailing catamaran or the inflatable only if you know you want them.

Skip it if the fast inflatable if you are pregnant, have back or neck problems, use a wheelchair or have children under 5; skip the sailing catamaran if you need a sighting guarantee.

Check Tasman datesfrom A$155 · GetYourGuide