Hervey Bay Activities

Hervey Bay activities lean towards wildlife and water: humpback whales from July to October, turtles and dolphins on the Great Sandy Strait, snorkelling in calm water, eco sailing to K'gari and a day on Lady Elliot Island at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef. Most start from the marinas in Urangan, and they sit alongside the rest of the things to do in Hervey Bay.

Whale watching and animal encounters in Hervey Bay

The animal experiences start with the humpbacks that rest in the bay between July and October. The Spirit of Hervey Bay half-day cruise is a popular choice, with underwater viewing rooms, a hydrophone and morning or afternoon tea. The 4-hour cruise with Tasman Venture adds an antipasto platter on the way home, and the Whalesong cruise with buffet serves lunch on the morning departure or dinner on the afternoon one.

For whales plus an island day, the full-day K'gari tour with whale watching lands on the beach at Wathumba Creek in an amphibious vessel after the cruise. More boats, from 3-hour trips to full-day sails, run as whale watching in Hervey Bay.

Snorkelling and swimming

Snorkelling and scuba diving in Hervey Bay begins with a mask and fins in calm water. The 3-hour Turtle Discovery eco tour cruises the Great Sandy Strait in a glass-bottom boat, looks for turtles, dolphins and dugongs, and includes a swim and snorkel with equipment and the marine park permit.

Further afield, the Lady Elliot Island day trip flies from Hervey Bay Airport on a 40-minute scenic flight and leaves a 6 to 7-hour stay on a coral cay. The day takes in a glass-bottom boat tour, guided snorkelling, a reef walk at low tide (tide dependent), fish feeding in the lagoon and a buffet lunch.

Sailing and slower days out

The half-day eco sailing adventure is the quiet option. It leaves the Great Sandy Straits Marina at 8.30am for a sail to K'gari with morning tea and hotel transfers, optional boom netting and an aqua mat when the weather allows, and it runs from November to July. More sunset sails and wildlife trips run as Hervey Bay cruises, and land-based island days as Hervey Bay tours.

Choosing a Hervey Bay activity

Start with the month. Whale watching runs from July to October and eco sailing from November to July, so most visits catch whales, sailing or both. Then think about how wet you want to get: watching from a deck, swimming from a boat or snorkelling a reef.

Families can mix and match, and the things to do in Hervey Bay with kids include whale cruises that hand out activity booklets. For a reef day, reef and island cruises cover Lady Elliot Island as well as K'gari.

Frequently asked questions

What activities can you do in Hervey Bay?

Activities in Hervey Bay centre on the water: whale watching from July to October, eco tours looking for turtles and dolphins, snorkelling, eco sailing to K'gari and a day trip to Lady Elliot Island.

Can you snorkel in Hervey Bay?

Snorkelling in Hervey Bay is included on the Turtle Discovery eco tour and the Lady Elliot Island day trip. Both supply snorkelling equipment.

When is the best time for whale watching activities in Hervey Bay?

Whale watching in Hervey Bay runs from July to October, when humpbacks rest in the bay on their migration. Operators set their own dates, from mid-July to late October.

Are Hervey Bay activities suitable for kids?

Many Hervey Bay activities suit families, but minimum ages differ by trip, so check the age rules on the one you choose. Several whale cruises hand out activity booklets for children.

Do Hervey Bay activities include hotel transfers?

Several Hervey Bay activities include courtesy transfers from Hervey Bay accommodation, including the eco sailing adventure and some whale watching cruises. The pick-up details are on each trip.

Hervey Bay activities are mostly decided by the month and by how wet you want to get: a deck seat for whales in winter, a mask and fins for the rest.