A WHALE OF A TIME!
Queensland’s ‘Humpback Highway’ puts on a wild show
THOSE who are serious about whale-watching on australia’s famous Great Barrier Reef need a strong stomach. I’m being thrown across the cabin of a three-storey catamaran while the vessel is pummelled by skyscraper-high waves that are the aftermath of a storm.
But the hairy journey is soon forgotten when I’m rewarded by an expanse of blue punctuated by a streak of white, lady Musgrave Island. and bouncing amid the now calm waves are humpback whales with their playful calves.
We are just off the coast of Bundaberg, Queensland. encompassing 7,000km of coastline, including the wildlife-rich Fraser and Capricorn stretches, Queensland is one of australia’s most exciting regions. Beneath the waves, it’s home to clown fish, turtles, manta rays, minke whales and sharks, as well as the Great Barrier Reef.
We’ve travelled south from Yeppoon to Bundaberg, then on to Hervey Bay to see whales — lots of them.
That means rising early each day, buoyed by anticipation, and heading out on the water. We soon sport the salty hair, tanned noses and wide smiles of whale watchers.
WHALES follow an annual migratory route between May and November that passes by this coastline, known locally as ‘Humpback Highway’. after feeding in the krill-rich waters of antarctica, adults travel to warmer breeding grounds around Cairns, while mothers and their calves loiter in Hervey Bay, which offers a natural nursery for the youngsters as they learn important survival skills. Hervey Bay is applying for Whale Heritage site status as a premier hub for responsible dolphin and whale-watching.
If my November trip — blessed with countless daily encounters — is anything to go by, it deserves it.
From the marina, we board a high-speed catamaran for the Hervey Bay Whale Watch and spend several hours searching an empty skyline for a tail slap or breach.
I’ve taken dozens of snaps, leaping across the boat into position each time there’s a murmur of a sighting.
Just as my camera battery gives up, a pair of humpbacks soar through the sky, breaching in unison, in front of the boat.
It’s a magical moment, etched in my memory.
The following morning, we set sail with Blue Dolphin Marine Tours on a small catamaran at Hervey Bay. It’s refreshing to feel the sea breeze and chat to the knowledgeable crew about conservation.
after several hours, pairings of curious whales and lively pods of dolphins appear, splashing around our boat. some keen divers on this coastline have even managed to swim with playful, adolescent whales.
Humpbacks are not the only gentle giants to flourish in these waters, however. after arriving at far-flung lady Musgrave Island aboard the threestorey cat, the Main event, I snorkel through the lagoon and spot a large, ancient-looking creature. I’m frozen in wonder. Glancing beneath me, I notice four more khaki-coloured shells with leathery limbs parked on the coral bed. We are at a ‘cleaning station’, where turtles are spruced up by smaller animals. Back on land, we head next for one of Queensland’s best-kept secrets — a private island in the Keppel Group of 18 islands, only a 45-minute boat ride from Yeppoon. Pumpkin Island’s friendly owners, Wayne and laureth, a young couple from south africa, their toddler and two adorable pooches, are our welcoming hosts on this six-hectare hideaway. Wayne takes us on a boat ride, laureth runs a morning yoga class, and both ply us with coffee and cocktails at the retreat bar. It takes just 20 minutes to stroll around the island, but you could spend days savouring the views.
There is no TV or wi-fi, and it’s blissful to feel unplugged. We are staying in two of the seven self-catered bungalows scattered on the shoreline. Come evening, we gather to barbecue our dinner and sit around a fire pit.
Drinking under the stars, we toast our good fortune in this wildly special place.
TRAVEL FACTS
PUMPKIN Island self-catering cottages, from £187 a night for two adults (pumpkinisland.com.au). For Whale Heritage Sites, visit whaleheritagesites.org. Qantas London Heathrow to Brisbane return, from £739 pp for selected travel periods in 2017, qantas.com. For Fraser Coast, Capricorn region and Bundaberg: queensland.com