Whale watching has embedded itself as a key winter attraction in Port Stephens, drawing close to 30,000 people to the region last year for guided tours and countless more to the coastline to see the creatures.
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Moonshadow-TQC welcomed 18,500 people on whale watching cruises last year and Imagine Cruises about 10,000.
The direct impact the annual whale migration has on the Port’s economy is not known due to a lack of data. However, whale watchers are believed to make up a significant portion of the 1.5 million people that visited Port Stephens in the year to September 2017 who spent $534 million.
The whale watching season in Port Stephens runs from mid-May to August when humpbacks migrate north to their calving ground in the South Pacific region.
The southern migration takes place from August to mid-November when mothers and newborn calves make their way back down to the feeding grounds in Antarctica.
Whale watching vantage points in Port Stephens
There are a number of land-based spots across the Tomaree Peninsula where residents and visitors to the area can see whales pass the coast, including:
- The Tomaree Head Summit Walk, which is considered one of the top 10 panoramic views in Australia.
- The Port’s beaches and foreshores also offer good whale-watching, especially from Boat Harbour (accessed from Iluka Reserve), Anna Bay and Fisherman's Bay.
- Barry Park in Fingal Bay. This park has a dedicated whale watching platform.
- If you're on a quad bike tour on the Stockton Bight Sand Dunes, you could be lucky enough to sight passing whales right from the beach.
Read more about whales and whale watching in Port Stephens: