Townsville Whale Watching
ProHighlights
- Six-hour humpback whale tours across Cleveland Bay on a two-deck vessel, capped at 30 guests so everyone has room to watch
- Marine biologists skipper and guide every trip, with a stop near the Cape Cleveland lighthouse where turtles come up to feed
- The whole boat can be chartered by a private group with its own itinerary on days that have no other bookings
About Townsville Whale Watching
Townsville Whale Watching is run by a local crew with more than 20 years of operations on the Great Barrier Reef behind them. Its whale tours leave directly from Townsville on MV Kalinda, the largest boat in the fleet. Humpback whales come into Cleveland Bay to give birth, and mothers and calves tend to stay close by for a couple of weeks before the long migration back. A six-hour tour gives the skipper time to find them and watch without rushing. The day usually crosses to the Cape Cleveland lighthouse, where turtles feed, with chances of dolphins, sea eagles, sea snakes or a dugong. The boat then searches the water north of Magnetic Island and returns past its northern bays. MV Kalinda has two viewing decks, indoor and outdoor seating, toilets, showers and a limited bar. All skippers and guides are marine biologists, and an onboard cook serves snacks and a fresh lunch with vegetarian and gluten-free options. Scheduled tours take up to 30 guests. A group can hire the whole boat with its own itinerary on days without existing bookings, and numbers for a charter are agreed with the operator. Sightings are never guaranteed, since the whales are wild animals. The skipper shapes each day's route around the weather, the tides and where the whales are.
Inclusions & amenities
Activity type
Price range (per person)
Setting
Ages
Pricing
Whole-boat charters for private groups are priced on request.
Food
Beverages
Availability
What's Included
Frequently asked questions
Can we charter the whole boat for our group?
Yes. On days with no other bookings, the whole vessel can be hired by a private group with its own itinerary, and passenger numbers for a charter are discussed with the operator.
How much does a seat on the tour cost?
Adults pay $175, seniors and students $145, children aged 2 to 18 pay $95 and infants $40 for the six-hour tour departing from Townsville.
Where do we board?
Guests board at 9am at the fuelling wharf beside G finger at the Breakwater Marina, at the end of Mariners Drive. Drop-offs work there but there is no parking, so use the free parking along The Strand.
What food is served?
An onboard cook prepares snacks and a fresh lunch, served at anchor in a sheltered bay, with vegetarian and gluten-free options. Guests with severe food allergies are asked to bring their own food.
Are whale sightings guaranteed?
No. Humpbacks are wild, so one day may bring only a distant blow while another brings breaching and tail slaps. The skipper sets each day's route around the weather, tides and the whales.
Where we are
Suitable occasions
mathias wolf
3 months ago
What a perfect day! Saw several whales. Even several breaches! Such a unique experience. Great, friendly and capable crew, tasty food prepared freshly on the boat and a boat with a lot of character. We absolutely loved i…
Simon Cole
4 months ago
The four fellas on this sturdy old boat do a great job. Fully catered. Very pleasant 6 hours out on the bay and around Magnetic Island.
Doug Neeson
a year ago
Excellent whale watching tour at a relaxed pace. The crew were great and the lunch was sublime. Whilst the whales were a little thin on the ground we still managed to capture some shots, and a pod of dolphins kept us ent…
Teresa Paatero
a year ago
Lovely whale watching day! Saw a turtle and 5 whales in total: one of them was a really small calf and then there were two curious adults that came to check us out! The captain and the crew really made the day - they wer…
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