Whale Watching Cruise at Wilsons Prom 2023

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Fri 25 Aug 2023 - Tue 31 Oct 2023

The Whales are Bringing their Babies Home
The annual whale migration inspires the imagination of a nation. People rig up against the winter weather and scramble to coastal vantage points to get a glimpse of these majestic creatures swimming north from the Antarctic to warmer waters for calving. Even better than catching sight of the whales on the way to calve is to get out on the ocean and see the mothers returning south with calves at their side.


Don't miss a chance to see the humpback whales - Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

Wildlife Coast Cruises offers just such an opportunity in the coastal waters around Wilsons Promontory during the great southern whale migration between September and Mid-November. When my husband and I took this cruise, we were fortunate beyond all expectations with sightings of four different Humpback Whale mothers and their calves. What a treat! With Port Welshpool only a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Melbourne’s CBD, this is an easy weekend getaway.


A humpback whale does a belly roll - Image copyright Gayle Beveridge-Marien

Humpback Whales and Calves. You’ll be out to sea before you get a glimpse of the whales, but they are the highlight of the cruise and so deserve a first but not a last mention. Humpback Whales migrate from Antarctica in autumn warmer Pacific waters for breeding. On this cruise, you will find them on their spring migration back to cold southern waters.

On our cruise, our first sighting and first whale photo for the day was the hump-like backs of a whale mother and her calf diving together. Wow! It goes without saying that the highlight of a whale-watching cruise is seeing a whale breach when it propels itself above the water and dramatically splashes back down.


Seeing double. Humpback whale flippers - Image copyright Gayle Beveridge-Marien

Calves are up to 4.5 metres long when born, the length of the average medium car. The mothers were initially wary and protective, swimming between the boat and their young, although they had nothing to fear as the legal distance was always maintained. Wildlife Coast Cruises boast a 90% whale sighting success rate for this cruise. We were not disappointed.


A humpback whale mother and child - Image copyright Gayle Beveridge-Marien

Southern Right Whales. Along with the Humpback Whales, there is also a chance of spotting Southern Right Whales on their return journey. The Southern Right Whale does not migrate as far as the Humpback but does head up the Queensland coast to Cape Byron, one of Australia’s premier whale-watching sites.


Humpback whale flippers can grow to 5 metres long - Image copyright Gayle Beveridge-Marien

The Long Jetty. On departure from Port Welshpool, the boat passes the famous Long Jetty, giving an ocean-side view of this historic structure. Originally built in the 1930s, the jetty is heritage listed with the National Trust. The jetty was extended on the 1980s to facilitate supply to the Bass Strait oil and gas industry. Following a fire in 2003, this 908-metre jetty was rehabilitated and has now reopened to the public.

Sealers Cove. Named Sealers Cove by George Bass in 1798, this was a hot location in the early 1800s for the whaling and sealing industries. By the 1850s the plunder had diminished seal numbers so drastically it was no longer viable. The area was then turned over to timber production until 1906, when good timber, like the seals, was gone. Now a pristine beach with a majestic mountain backdrop, this is a beautiful place to visit and don’t worry, you will see plenty of Australian fur seals on the rocky outcrops along the cruise.


Australian Fur Seals sunning themselves on rocks - Image copyright Gayle Beveridge-Marien

Refuge Cove. Pristine Refuge Cove is a pristine and secluded beach on the east side of Wilsons Promontory that was used by whaling boats in days gone by as a haven from bad weather. Unless the boat has been lured away by whale sightings, always a priority in this cruise, you will get an ocean-side view of this beautiful piece of southern Australian coastline.

Dolphins (and more whales). While you are searching for whales in the great blue, don’t be surprised to see dolphins. These playful mammals and not shy about approaching the boat and engender almost as much excitement as the whales. How could we not like them?


A dolphin plays around the boat - Image copyright Gayle Beveridge-Marien

On our cruise, we spotted the whales and dolphins together around lunch time and so we also stopped to eat. The Wildlife Coast Cruises staff are well-practised at what they do and lunch was served in no time at all. It was while we were stationary that the whales moved a little closer and we were treated to fin waving, tail slapping and belly rolls. The flippers can grow to five metres, so a wave above the surface is a sight to behold. Even the seasoned cruise staff are excited by these wonderful displays.


A flick of mum's tail and a baby at her side - Image copyright Gayle Beveridge-Marien

Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse. We saw Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse from a distance, sitting high atop a narrow peninsula of granite cliffs. This 19-metre-high granite lighthouse was originally built by convict labour in 1859 and is the southernmost lighthouse on the Australian mainland.

Rabbit Island. On the way back to port, we lingered alongside Rabbit Island, a granite island that got its name in 1842 because of the abundance of rabbits. The rabbits were introduced to the island by sealers and left there to provide a food supply for passing sailors. The rabbits had all been removed by 1968 and the island has been identified by BirdLife International as important for breeding seabirds.

Seabirds. Sightings of sea birds like the Shy Albatross and Australasian Gannet are common. On our cruise the gannets were plentiful, and we were treated to sightings of both the sleek adults and the mottled brown juveniles. Their almost missile-like dive into the water is impressive.


A cave in granite cliffs - Image copyright Gayle Beveridge-Marien

Don’t miss this cruise of a lifetime:
Provider: Wildlife Coast Cruises
When: The season runs from 25th of August 2023 to 31st October 2023. Cruises are scheduled daily at 10:30am.
Where: This cruise departs from the Port Welshpool in South Gippsland, which is around a two-and-a-half-hour drive from the Melbourne CBD and just under two hours from Cranbourne. The boat leaves from the Port Welshpool Jetty at 93 Lewis Street, Port Welshpool. There is ample all-day free parking.
Duration: The cruise runs for six hours in the Wilsons Promontory coastal area.
Meals and Refreshments: The price includes morning tea, lunch and afternoon snacks and there is a licensed bar on board.
Costs: Costs for the 2023 season are Adult $215.00, Child $150.00, Concession $192.00, Groups of 5+ $176.30 per person and Groups of 20+ $172.00 per person.
Website and On-line Bookings: Check the Wildlife Coast Cruise website for more details and other cruise options and make your booking.
Telephone: (03) 5952 9500
Accommodation: For those wishing to make this a lovely weekend getaway or indeed a more substantial holiday you can check the accommodation options recommended by Wildlife Coast Cruises.
Other South Gippsland Attractions: For other things to do while you are in the area check the Visit South Gippsland website which provides all the information you need for a happy stay.

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