Each year hundreds of whales call the waters around Smiths Beach home as they follow their annual migration along the Western Australian Coast.
Fondly known as the Whale Highway, this section of coast sees the largest Humpback Whale migration in the world and between August and December, visitors to the Margaret River Region have front row seats to the action.
Naturaliste Charters are the only whale watching tour company operating in the Region and Operations Manager, Nakita Field shares her hints and tips to make the most of this magical experience.
What is the best way to see whales up close in the Margaret River Region?
The incredible thing about Dunsborough’s location within Geograph Bay is the opportunity to experience whales from both the land and shore.
There is nothing better than being out on the boat and we have some of the best encounters when we are out on the water. However, the coastal walking tracks from old Dunsborough up to Castle Beach and Meelup Beach provide some great sightings especially in the peak of the season.
What is unique about the whale watching tour?
It is a very interesting start to the tour as we depart from the sands of Quindalup Beach but we have a fully-engineered ramp, complete with handrails, that stops you from getting your feet wet.
In other parts of Australia you may have to contend with rough waters in order to view whales but in the South West we operate in an incredibly calm and protected space. Within Geograph Bay’s clear blue waters it is rarely choppy and there are no shipping routes. I honestly think it is one of the best places in Australia to see whales.
What should guests expect?
Our tours depart daily from August to November. Early in the season we will sight Humpback Whales who arrive to rest and play with their calves in the warmer water before returning to Antarctica. You also have chances of sighting dolphins, Southern Right Whales and Minke Whales. From October to November, you will also have an opportunity to see the world’s largest animal, the Blue Whale!
Tours last from 2 to 2.5 hours and every day is a different experience. It is often hard to even tell if morning or afternoon will better for spotting whales, it all comes down to the luck of the day.
You can expect to have a good time and enjoy the crew’s commentary alongside the stunning view of clean waters and beautiful coastline.
Can you tell us about Naturaliste Charters conservation efforts?
The way we contribute is different each season. In Dunsborough we collect information about the Blue Whales and Southern Right Whales that we provide to marine research.
The majority of our conservation work occurs during our Bremer Bay tours where we provide data to different research groups. We soon hope to commence eDNA sampling to accurately identify prey.
