If you’re looking for a magical experience, you can’t get much better than swimming with whales in Australia. And yes, it’s legal in many part of Australia—with an accredited company.
Before coming to Australia I didn’t know swimming with whales was legal anywhere in the world. The idea of doing this tour was pretty intimidating considering how large whales are and thinking about Australia’s other dangerous water creatures. It turned out to be an experience of a lifetime, so I decided to share my experience and tips for finding the best tour.
This article is a bit of a guide with helpful tips for what to know about swimming with whales in Australia. Added is location and time of year to swim with whales in Australia, safety, ethics and my experience.
Table of Contents
How to Swim with Whales in Australia
Swimming with whales in Australia isn’t about renting a boat and jumping in the water. This section is all about how to swim with whales in Australia. It includes the best time of year, locations, safety, ethics and the experience.
This is a good base line of how to find a good swim with whales tour in Australia, or just a general whale tour. Keep in mind, you should always do your own research of a company before booking, always look for verified sources of information and reviews.
Locations and time of year to swim with whales in Australia
There’s all types of swim with whales tours within Australia, this is a complete list of where these tours operate and with what type of whales.
- Queensland: Mooloolaba and Hervey Bay (July-October) both with Humpback whales.
- New South Wales: Jervis Bay (August-November), Coffs Harbour (July-October) and Byron Bay (August-September) with Humpback whales.
- Western Australia: Ningaloo Reef for Humpback Whales and Whale sharks (April-October).
Safety of swimming with whales
Every company that is legally authorized to operate a swim with whales tour in Australia must follow the same laws, if not specified by individual states. This insures the safety of the tourists, the tour operators and the whales.
However, in August 2020, three women experienced serious injuries from swim with whales tours in Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. There, the whale tours are authorized and legal, but are still in a three-year trial period. A similar trial went on for many other places in Australia where the tours take place. The trial period ensures safety in doing tours in a new area along overseeing other parts of the tours.
There’s strict guidelines for whale tours to follow, whether swimming occurs or not. Boats cannot approach within 100 metres of whales, same goes for those entering the water. There’s also a limit of three boats per pod of whales at any time, according to the Australian National Guidelines.
Before choosing a whale tour of any kind, look over the website of a company you’re planning to choose. Check reviews that safety laws are followed, or consider booking a tour with a better company.
Ethics of whale tourism
In the last decade there’s been an increasing amount of media coverage on the ethics of whales, think Blackfish (2013). But unlike this film that focuses greatly on the cetaceans in captivity, protecting them in the wild is just as important. Choosing an ethical whale tour should be one of the top concerns for purchasing a tour of any kind.
Similar to safety concerns, there are rules in place to protect whales and their natural habitat. This also has to do with not disturbing them too much. But as with any tour, some follow the rules and others do not. Some tours will actively feed whales to attract them to the boat, even though this isn’t legal.
It’s important to choose a tour which puts the whales ethics before safety and money, that’s the backdrop for an ethical company. And that means following all safety guidelines for both patrons and the whales.
What it’s like to Swim with Whales
This August I swam with three Humpback whales in Hervey Bay, Queensland. Although I was aware of tour company ethics, safety, and staying on budget, swimming with whales is an experience I will never forget.
Previously, I had trouble finding a suitable company for an animal tour, so I went with a company where its profits go towards research, education and ocean conservation.
Onboard the tour, there was a marine biologist, several volunteers and other staff along with the boat driver. We passed several pods of whales before arriving to one that matched the qualities of a good pod for swimming with.
According to government regulations in Australia, it’s not possible to swim with whales that have a calf, those that are breaching or if any animals seems in distress. There’s other qualities that have to be checked, but these are just a few. Multiple staff members on the tour including the marine biologist and the boat driver must confirm the whales are safe to swim with before anyone enters the water.
On my tour all those swimming in the water had to hold onto a mermaid line—which is essentially a long rope inside pool noodles, to keep it afloat. A staff member is at the end of the line in the water, ensuring everyone is safe and doing good the entire time. Aside from the cold water, no one in the water had any problems.
As we entered the water, we had to be quiet—as in not splashing around—which was better for the whales. At all time the whales were a legal safe distance from the boat, but as we were in the water they came closer. Due to recent wind, it was difficult to see the whales in the water. But, it was obvious the whales were under and around us, at times.
Despite having a hard time seeing them in the water and feeling cold, the experience was nothing less than magical. For most people it’s a once in a lifetime experience to swim with these giant creatures.
At one point the staff thought the whales were leaving and as we were about to leave the water that’s when they returned. This was the point we were closest to them, about less than 10 metres.
Tours can only allow swimmers in the water and in the boat for so long near the whales, so eventually we had to head back to the harbour. It was an incredibly humbling experience to be so close to the humpback whales. Seeing them play in the water and watching their habits so close by was something I never expected to see in Australia.
For more about travelling Queensland, check out my guide to Springbrook National Park and how to choose a Whitsunday Islands tour!
