Plenty of whale watching happens within an hour of Brisbane. What you get by driving a little further north is reef-sheltered water, far fewer vessels around each whale, and the part of the migration where mothers and calves stop to rest.

Getting here

4 hrs

Drive from Brisbane via the Bruce Highway — an easy, sealed run of about 360 km.

~1 hr

Flight time to Bundaberg Airport, with daily services from Brisbane.

20 min

Bundaberg CBD to our departure point at Bundaberg Port Marina, Burnett Heads.

Make it a weekend

Drive up Friday afternoon, whale tour Saturday, reef or turtles Sunday, home that evening. It's the pattern most of our Brisbane guests settle into — and it takes the weather pressure off, because a spare day means a cancelled trip can be re-run rather than lost.

There's plenty to fill the rest of the weekend: the Mon Repos turtle rookery in season, the region's rum and food trail, and the quiet beaches at Bargara. See whale watching in Bundaberg for the local detail.

When to make the trip

June through October, peaking in August and September. Our season guide breaks the months down so you can match the drive to the kind of encounter you want. Travelling with kids? The family guide covers the practical side.

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