Whale Watching Melbourne: Where to See Whales This Winter

Winter in Melbourne often gets a bad rap, but for wildlife lovers, it’s actually one of the most exciting times of the year! As temperatures drop, some of the ocean’s most magnificent creatures begin arriving along Victoria’s coastline. It’s prime whale-watching season! Here are some helpful tips and tricks to get you spotting some whales this winter during your visit to Melbourne.

Why Melbourne Is a Whale Watching Hotspot

While destinations like Sydney and Byron Bay often steal the whale-watching spotlight, don’t be fooled; Melbourne is one of Australia’s best places to witness these enchanting marine mammals in the wild!

Every year, humpback whales and southern right whales migrate along the Victorian coast, offering spectacular viewing opportunities from both land and sea. From Phillip Island to the Great Ocean Road, whale sightings have become increasingly common, as whale populations continue their remarkable recovery from the devastating impacts of commercial whaling.

In fact, whale numbers are one of Australia’s great conservation success stories. Eastern Australian humpback whales have rebounded from just a few hundred animals last century to more than 50,000 today, with researchers estimating the population is now well above pre-whaling levels. Meanwhile, southern right whales have also been steadily recovering and are returning to historic breeding and calving grounds around southern Australia.

That means there’s never been a better time to go whale watching in Melbourne. As more whales return to Victorian waters each winter, visitors have an increasingly good chance of witnessing breathtaking breaches and close encounters.

When Is Whale Watching Season in Melbourne?

Whale watching in Melbourne runs from May through October, with the peak season from June to September when whale numbers are highest along the Victorian coast.

Sightings are most common during calm weather conditions, often in the early morning or late afternoon, essentially because the ocean is smoother and visibility is better. During this migration period whales pass along the coastline as they travel between feeding and breeding grounds, with the best chances of seeing them from exposed coastal lookouts on clear days.

Which Whales Can You See in Melbourne?

In Melbourne, you can typically see humpback whales and southern right whales. On much rarer occasions, you may also spot blue whales further offshore, particularly around deeper waters and marine feeding areas.

Best Places for Whale Watching Near Melbourne

Phillip Island

The beautiful Phillip Island offers some of Victoria’s most reliable whale watching, with humpback and southern right whales passing close to the dramatic coastline throughout the season. Land-based lookouts like Cape Woolamai, Pyramid Rock, and The Nobbies give you a good chance of spotting them from shore, while boat tours departing from San Remo and Rhyll push the odds even higher.

Mornington Peninsula

The Mornington Peninsula’s back beaches are some of the best land-based spots for whale watching around Melbourne, mostly thanks to its high vantage points looking straight out over Bass Strait.

Cape Schanck, the highest open coastal point on the peninsula, is the pick of the bunch, offering sweeping views where humpback whales are regularly spotted through winter. Southern right whales pass through less often, but keen-eyed watchers occasionally catch their distinctive V-shaped blow as they surface close to shore.

Great Ocean Road

You might also like to try the Great Ocean Road, which also offers whale watching opportunities along its entire 243-kilometre stretch, with sightings possible from almost any headland along the way. In terms of exact location, Apollo Bay is one of the better-known spots, where southern right whales are regularly seen close to shore.

Further along at Warrnambool’s Logan’s Beach, a dedicated viewing platform overlooks one of the few places in Victoria where mothers come to calve, sometimes just metres from the sand!

Warrnambool

Warrnambool is home to one of Victoria’s most reliable whale watching spots. Logan’s Beach in particular serves as a nursery for southern right whales each year.

Mothers arrive to give birth and nurse their calves close to shore, sometimes within 100 metres of the sand, and a dedicated viewing platform on the dunes offers an easy, no-boat-required vantage point. Sightings are almost guaranteed here during peak season, making Logan’s Beach a popular stop for anyone travelling the Great Ocean Road.

Why Whale Numbers Are Increasing?

Not that long ago, spotting a whale off Victoria’s coast was unfortunately something of a rarity; a lucky sighting and you’d tell everyone about it for weeks. These days however, it’s becoming almost routine.

Southern right whales, once hunted to the brink of extinction, have spent decades quietly recovering, their numbers creeping up by around 7 percent each year. Warrnambool has always been their favourite nursery, but lately they’ve been turning up in places a lot closer to home too, Port Phillip Bay, the Mornington Peninsula, even Apollo Bay.

And humpbacks have made an even bigger comeback. Every winter now, more than 60,000 of them cruise past Australia’s coastline on their annual migration, part of a bigger recovery story that’s been playing out in our waters for the last twenty-odd years. So if you’re in Melbourne and you’ve got half an eye on the horizon this winter, don’t be too surprised if you catch a fin, a tail, or a spray of mist.

The whales, it seems, are back for good!

Tips for Whale Watching in Melbourne

Bring binoculars and scan for a spout of mist or a dark hump breaking the surface before you spot the whale itself, and be patient, as whales often surface in a rhythm, with a few breaths followed by a longer dive.

If you’d rather get closer than the shoreline allows, a licensed boat tour is worth the extra cost, with operators from Phillip Island and Wilsons Promontory reporting sighting rates of 75 to 90 percent during peak season, though the trade-off is choppier water and a higher chance of seasickness.

Land-based watching is of course free and often just as rewarding, especially from elevated headlands, but boat tours get you closer and usually come with a guide who can help you spot and identify what you’re seeing.

Whichever way you choose to watch, keep a respectful distance and let the whales set the pace, since approaching too closely disrupts their natural behaviour and is against the law in Victorian waters.

Where to stay in Melbourne

Located in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD, The Adelphi Hotel is a bold, design-led boutique stay known for its playful style and standout interiors. Just steps from Flinders Lane, Federation Square, and the city’s best dining and shopping precincts, it places guests right in the centre of Melbourne’s vibrant culture.

The hotel features uniquely styled rooms, modern comforts, and thoughtful details throughout, along with its signature rooftop pool overlooking the city skyline. With its central location and distinctive character, The Adelphi Hotel offers a stay that feels both elevated and unmistakably Melbourne.

A little further out of town, Chateau Yering is a historic country estate in the Yarra Valley, offering elegant accommodation framed by sweeping vineyard views and manicured gardens. Dating back to the 1850s, the property blends heritage charm with refined comfort, featuring spacious suites, antique furnishings, and outlooks across wine country.

Guests can dine at the on-site restaurant, explore nearby cellar doors, or unwind by the pool and gardens. With its timeless character and prime position in one of Victoria’s premier wine regions, Chateau Yering delivers a stay defined by history, scenery, and classic Yarra Valley charm.