Sydney is one of the best places in the world for whale watching, with humpback whales migrating along the coast between May and November. Prestige Harbour Cruises offers a range of shared ticketed cruises departing from Circular Quay, Darling Harbour & Manly.
Each year, around 35,000 humpback whales migrate past Sydney as they travel the 10,000 km round trip between their feeding grounds in Antarctica and their breeding areas in the warm waters of the Great Barrier Reef.
Northbound Migration (May – July): Whales travel up the coast to breed and give birth in warmer waters.
Southbound Migration (September – November): Whales, including mothers with newborn calves, return to Antarctica.
This number has been increasing in recent years due to conservation efforts, with the humpback whale population recovering significantly since commercial whaling was banned.
HUMPBACK WHALES are the most commonly seen whales in Sydney’s waters. They are known for their acrobatics, breaching (jumping out of the water), and distinctive long pectoral fins. The adults are 12-16 metres in length and weigh 25-40 tonnes. Typical behaviour to watch out for:
🐳 Breaching – Jumping out of the water (amazing to see!).
🌊 Tail Slaps – Slapping their tails on the water, possibly to communicate.
👀 Spy Hopping – Popping their heads out of the water to look around.
💨 Blowing (Spouting) – The misty spray when they exhale.
MINKE WHALES are the smallest of the rorqual whale family (which includes humpbacks and blue whales). They are shy and fast swimmers, making them harder to spot than humpbacks. They also prefer deeper offshore waters, so they are less commonly seen near the coast. Length 7-10 metres. Weight 5-10 tonnes.
Unlike humpbacks, minke whales are quiet and don't sing long songs. They are curious about boats and sometimes approach them, earning the nickname "stinky minkes" due to their strong breath odor!
How to Identify:
Sleek, streamlined body
Pointed snout (unlike Humpbacks' rounded head)
White patches on pectoral fins
No dramatic breaches
ORCAS WHALES also known as killer whales, are apex predators and not actually whales—they belong to the dolphin family! Orcas are rare but have been spotted off the NSW coast, usually in deeper waters. They don’t follow the same strict migration path as humpbacks. Some pods travel along Australia’s east coast, hunting seals, dolphins, and even young whales. Size & weight up to 9 metres long and 6 tonnes in weight.
Ocras are highly intelligent and hunt in coordinated pods like wolf packs. They use echolocation to find prey and communicate.
How to Identify
Iconic black and white colouring
Tall, straight dorsal fin (males have huge fins up to 1.8 metres)
Fast swimmers - can reach speeds of up to 50 km/h
Book your cruise today for an incredible experience to see these majestic creatures up close.
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