In fact, Wyndham Resorts has listed Port Stephens on its national list of the six best places to stay and view the humpbacks on their journey north. 

Hervey Bay (Queensland), Dunsborough (Western Australia), and the Gold Coast rate well on Wyndham’s list for familiarity, diversity and season length, respectively.

But it considers Port Stephens the best for variety of viewing locations. Wyndham pointed to the elevated Tomaree Headland, with its panoramic views, as well as Boat Harbour, Anna Bay and Fisherman’s Bay, all within a short drive of each other.

And of course there are plenty of cruises available since Port Stephens tour operators are open all year around, as home to pods of bottlenose dolphins.

Rounding out Wyndham’s six best were Broome (Western Australia), for its natural beauty, and Port Douglas (Queensland), for sightings of the white humpback.

 “This year, we will have record whale numbers along our coast,” said Southern Cross University researcher professor Peter Harrison said.

“Humpback whales are truly Australian whales as they breed and give birth along the tropical coast in the Great Barrier Reef, before heading back to their cold Antarctic feeding grounds.

“It’s very exciting to see the continued recovery of our humpback whales that were so heavily impacted by whaling last century, which led to a remnant population of just a few hundred whales.”

To see how Port Stephens compares, here’s the Wyndham list in full.

Hervey Bay, Queensland

Advantage: Familiarity

Hervey Bay is where commercial whale watching in Australia first began. Often called the “Whale Watching Capital of the World”, the bay is a well-known rest area for giant humpbacks journeying north or south.

The creatures often stay for days and engage in picture-perfect breaching, tail-slapping, fin-flapping frivolity.

When the waters are calm on the bay and visibility is favourable, onlookers are delighted by the pods of whales they can see.

The immense creatures often feel comfortable enough to come up to whale watching boats (it is important to note that boats are limited in how close they can go). Dugongs, turtles and dolphins also frequent the bay and are a welcome addition to any cruise!

Dunsborough, WA

Advantage: Diversity

Dunsborough, the gateway to the Margaret River region is positioned right on Geographe Bay.

The bay, is an ideal place to spot the world’s largest creature: the blue whale.

The bay is a well-known forage area for blue whales and their calves in the latter part of the year and the Cape Naturaliste lighthouse nearby is the perfect vantage point.

Geographe Bay is also a popular resting point for humpback whales migrating along Australia’s west coast

and is frequented by minke whales and endangered southern right whales – so it offers a diverse range of ocean giants to see.

Whale watching tours of this part of Geographe Bay run daily between September to November, leaving from either Dunsborough or the nearby Busselton Jetty.

Gold Coast, Queensland

Advantage: Season length

The Gold Coast is often underestimated as a whale watching destination because of its many other tourist attractions.

Whale watching here runs between May and November, meaning it has one of the longest running seasons in the country.

Humpbacks frolic just minutes from the coast as they travel from the cool waters of the Antarctic to the warmer waters of North Queensland.

The city’s most successful operators boast a 99-100% success rate for whale sightings. It is easy to find an operator promising either a full refund or a return trip out on the ocean if no whales are sighted.

Port Stephens, New South Wales

Advantage: Viewing points

Port Stephens offers some of the best locations to see whales from the shore. The elevated Tomaree Headland, in Tomaree National Park, offers an almost panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean and the beautifully clear waters let you see humpbacks and minkes as they pass close by on their journey to North Queensland.

Boat Harbour, Anna Bay and Fisherman’s Bay are other ideal locations, only a short drive away.

Tours at Port Stephens are open all year around because the area is a permanent home to pods of bottlenose dolphins who love showing off.

Broome, WA

Advantage: Natural beauty

The Western Australian coast just to the north of Broome is a famed breeding and calving ground for about 40,000 humpback whales travelling along Australia’s west coast.

Operators say you will be able to see whales breach and mothers teach their giant calves how to swim.

Best yet, the golden west sunset presides over the afternoon expeditions. Whale sightings are guaranteed by some operators between July and October, but the waters are rich in other wildlife too.

You might also spot dolphins or rare flatback turtles, which lay their eggs on the local beaches during the summer.

Far North Queensland

Advantage: The White Humpback

The warm waters off this part of the East Coast are the destination for the journeying humpback and minke whales.

The Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area is their nursery area, the end of their 2500 kilometre journey from the cold Southern Ocean to their calving grounds. Not surprisingly, the season is shorter here – between July and August – but the creatures do less moving around.

Tours from Port Douglas and Cairns to the reef present your first opportunity to see the giant humpback and dwarf minke newborns. Considering the creatures are not in such a hurry, it might also be your best chance to see the famous white humpback, Migaloo, who has made the trip north since 1991.