Guide · Victoria ·
Southern right whales in Victoria: where to watch
Southern right whales in Victoria come to the shore at Warrnambool every winter, and the best place to see them is the Logans Beach viewing platform. The platform is free, open at all times and stands next to the bay where mothers bring their calves. The local visitor centre says the whales visit the region from June to September, so there is still time to go this year.
This guide covers where the platform is, how to get the best view, the other ways to see the whales and the rules that protect them.
Sources for this section: Visit Warrnambool, Why Warrnambool Whales? (2011).
Where to watch: Logans Beach
The Logans Beach viewing platform is east of the city centre in Warrnambool, on the south-west coast of Victoria. Warrnambool markets itself as the state's southern right whale nursery. The platform sits next to the part of the bay where whales most like to play and teach their calves.
- Address: Logans Beach Road, off Hopkins Point Road, Warrnambool.
- Hours: the platform is open at all times.
- Cost: free.
- Toilets: the nearest are about 1 km away, at Hopkins River.
The whales also use the wider waters of Lady Bay. In August this year one whale was seen off the Lady Bay surf life saving club.
Sources for this section: Visit Warrnambool, Whale Watching (2011); Visit Warrnambool, Why Warrnambool Whales? (2011); Visit Warrnambool, Updated Sightings (August 2011).
When to go
The visitor centre gives the viewing window as June to September each year. Think of September as the end of the season. Whales do not keep a timetable, so some days are better than others.
The local sightings log for August 2011 shows how it goes. A mother and calf were seen at the platform on many mornings, often between 8 am and 10 am. Some days a whale was out 100 to 200 metres from shore. On other days the pair swam west toward the Hopkins River mouth, out of easy view. Calm seas, light wind and clear skies gave the best viewing.
The log is kept by local volunteer watchers and the visitor centre. It is a good guide to what is happening this week, not a promise of what you will see.
Sources for this section: Visit Warrnambool, Why Warrnambool Whales? (2011); Visit Warrnambool, Updated Sightings (August 2011).
How to watch from shore
Shore watching takes patience, so plan for it. The visitor centre gives these tips.
- Ring the Warrnambool Visitor Information Centre first to hear about the latest sightings.
- Whales may be in the region but out of sight from Logans Beach. Plan more than one visit.
- Take binoculars or a telescope. They help a lot.
- Dress for wind and rain. The platform is open to the weather.
- Stay off the fragile vegetation and sand dunes, and use the facilities provided.
The August log notes a mother and calf staying under and resurfacing one morning, so be patient.
Sources for this section: Visit Warrnambool, Why Warrnambool Whales? (2011); Visit Warrnambool, Updated Sightings (August 2011).
Other ways to see the whales
You do not have to stay on the beach. The visitor centre lists three other options for 2011.
- By sea: local charter companies run regular whale viewing cruises.
- By air: Air Warrnambool runs regular whale spotting tours from Warrnambool Airport.
- By train: the Warrnambool Whale Rail Express links the visitor centre and the railway station with the Logans Beach platform and back. Bookings are required through Southwest Explorer.
Check the operators for current times and prices, since they can change from week to week.
Sources for this section: Visit Warrnambool, Whale Watching (2011).
About the whales and the rules
The southern right whale has a smooth black back and no dorsal fin. It has rough patches on its head called callosities, and the pattern is different on every whale. Some have white patches on the belly. An adult averages about 15 metres long and 50 tonnes, and the largest grow to 18 metres and 96 tonnes.
The name comes from the early whalers. They saw it as the right whale to hunt, because it swam slowly and close to shore, floated once harpooned and gave a lot of oil and whalebone.
Females breed once every two or three years. Pregnancy lasts nine to ten months. A calf is five to six metres long at birth, grows fast and may double its weight in its first week.
Whales are protected in Australian waters by federal and state laws. Fines of up to $100,000 may be imposed for harassing them. If you go out on a boat, the Australian National Guidelines for Whale and Dolphin Watching 2005 set the standards for watching whales without harming them. They are available from the federal environment department's website.
This guide is general information for travellers. Conditions and rules can change, so check with the visitor centre and the official guidelines before you go.
Sources for this section: Visit Warrnambool, Why Warrnambool Whales? (2011).
Sources
- Visit Warrnambool, Whale Watching (as at August 2011): web.archive.org
- Visit Warrnambool, Why Warrnambool Whales? (as at August 2011): web.archive.org
- Visit Warrnambool, Updated Sightings, 2011 season (as at 22 August 2011): web.archive.org