Whale Watching Tour from Newcastle: An Encounter with Humpback Whales in the Wild

Embark on a thrilling whale watching tour from Newcastle and witness the majestic humpback whales in their natural habitat. Prebook now for an unforgettable encounter with these magnificent creatures.

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • 3-3A Honeysuckle Dr - Enjoy close encounters with Humpback Whales along the Hunter Coast. The tour showcases the stunning Newcastle and Lake Macquarie coastline from the water with an added focus on searching for whales, dolphins and seals!

Departing from Newcastle Harbour, visit some of the key landmarks along the Hunter Coastline, before heading offshore on an adventure boat ride in search of migrating humpback whales. Annually, humpback whales pass the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie coastline in strong numbers (up to 35,000 individuals).

Keep a close eye out for some of their fascinating behaviours including pectoral fin slapping on the surface of the water, fluke or tail slapping and of course breaching!! As humpback whales are wild mammals, should you not encounter a whale on your tour, the CoastXP team will welcome you back on board free of charge (within the same season).

What's Included
  • Two-hour whale watching tour
  • Small group experience (max 20 guests at a time)
  • Professional wildlife guide
  • Safe and comfortable eco-tourism vessel
  • Premium weatherproof jackets provided
  • Marine Toilet Onboard
What's Not Included
  • Any parking or transport fees
Additional Information

Secure your spot in advance and enjoy the unique experience of seeing humpback whales in their native environment during a whale-spotting cruise departing from Newcastle. Travel aboard an eco-conscious vessel into the expansive open sea to witness the humpbacks in their natural surroundings, while acquiring knowledge about their instinctive behaviors through the boat’s commentary, which maintains a safe space. Additionally, keep an eye out for dolphins and seals, and soak in the stunning coastal landscape as you gain insights into local landmarks, traditions, and history.

  • Experience the sight of humpback whales in their natural setting during a whale observation cruise departing from Newcastle
  • Prebook and ensure your spot at a convenient time and day that aligns with your holiday schedule
  • Get up close with humpbacks, gain knowledge about them and the coastal landscape from a tour guide
  • Provision were made for wet-weather gears and a range of departure times for added convenience
  • CoastXP is a certified business committed to quality and sustainability in tourism
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Children under 3 not allowed
Location
3-3A Honeysuckle Dr
Honeysuckle Drive
Tours depart from Harbour Square Boat Dock, out the front of Rydges Newcastle, on the Honeysuckle Foreshore.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(136 Ratings)
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Freedom23214426452
Sep 25, 2024
Best experince! - This was my 3rd trip with Coast XP. Tracy is awesome and goes out of her way to help make the whale watching experience the best, never when the whales are being shy. Also the local information regarding history, landscape features and of course introducing us to Nigel the seal!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Peterhk4240fk
Sep 22, 2024
Must do in Newcastle - Fantastic whale watching tour led by Dom. The whole experience, from booking, to having to postpone 2 times due to illness, was faultless and while not looking for sea creatures, Dom shared his knowledge of the history of the area
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Daydream750295
Sep 20, 2024
fabulous - delightful. dolphins, seals, a few whales and a great blast of glorious sea air on a glorious day. Very content ... then on the way back a mother with a very active calf was spotted and we enjoyed a wonderful display of aqua acrobatics. absolutely sensational. thank you for not clock watching but letting us stay out for an extra half hour to soak up an awesome display of a baby giant just really getting into life. unforgettable experience. we'll be back!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Themadmonk
Jul 23, 2024
Newcastle Whale Encounter Tour - What an amazing experience! Staff were friendly and extremely informative on marine life and the local history. We all had a front row seat for the best show on earth, watching amazing creatures do what they do in their own habitat. Highly recommend this company and their awesome staff
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nomad33338962633
Jun 21, 2024
A wonderful experience - Cannot rate this experience highly enough, saw so many whales and our driver was friendly and very informative. The boat was comfortable and the jackets they gave us kept us warm. Would definitely recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Curiosity9228
Jun 7, 2024
Part of the pod - Not our first trip with XP and others for whale tours in Newcastle, but the most successful. Cold and miserable to start we thought we were going to miss out today for the first half hour, then Glen hunted down a pod of six and we sat in and amongst them running north for nearly an hour. The first time we have ever 'heard' them on a tour. The weather coats are a great new initiative and kept us warmer and dryer. We went on a whim and had a lovely experience. The smile on my wife's face was no fluke
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Shirleneo588
Jun 1, 2024
Nature at it's best - Always an amazing experience searching for humpback whales. Every tour is unique. You never know how awesome your day is going to be. Nature at it's finest... Thanks Dom for another brilliant trip on Atmos.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Guide307503
Oct 13, 2023
Best whale watching experience - Well organised. Our skipper, Jane, had a wealth of information. We saw 3 playful whales, 2 pods of dolphins, schools of spawning fish and a New Zealand fur seal. The tour boat was easy to access, comfortable and had uninterrupted views. Comfortable weather jackets are supplied. The Newcastle coastline is stunning.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Robyn
Sep 21, 2024
Whale watching wonder - The tour was well organised and interesting. We saw quite a few whales and learned a lot. It’s a great way to see Newcastle from a different angle
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wanderer14780873106
Sep 18, 2023
Cruise to see whale’s only saw mother and calf and one seal operator tried her best but not much around - Tried hard to find whales covered lots of areas only mother and calf Sights we great and she kept trying to find wild life but not much success
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
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