Where to go whale watching in WA’s South-West

Seeing whales for the first time is truly an unforgettable experience and one that many people — rightfully — have on their bucket list. Fortunately for us, Western Australia’s coast is the perfect place to see some of these majestic marine animals.

When to go

We are so lucky to have access to these beautiful animals right here on our doorstep, in the southwestern corner of Australia. The best time to see them is during migration season from May to December. Here, you are most likely to see the humpback, southern right and, occasionally, the minke whale and the giant of the seas — the blue whale.

Sightings of humpbacks around Albany and Augusta are usually best from June to August and southern right whales from August to October. In the Busselton-Dunsborough region, both humpback and southern right viewing is best from September to December. If you are keen on seeing blue whales, plan your Albany trip for May and June, or head to Dunsborough in November and December.

And, although not technically whales, you can spot orcas in the remote wilds of Bremer Canyon off the Albany coast from January to March. Sometimes there have been more than 100 killer whales seen in the canyon — an amazing spectacle.

There are dozens of towns up and down the Western Australian coast to see the whales from, or to take a charter boat from. You can find the full list of towns here.

Whale-watching boat charters

A whale-watching charter boat is one of the best ways to see these mammals up close and personal.

Naturaliste Charters

What is great about this company is that they offer not only whale-watching tours, but also killer whale tours in Bremer Canyon from January to March. The Augusta tour is available from May to August, when the humpback and southern right whales have left the cold southern waters and are heading north for the warmth.

From September to December, tours leave from Dunsborough to watch whales and their calves in the ‘Geographe nursery’. Sunset tours are available from September to November. Find out more.

Where to stay

Private Properties has luxury accommodation in many locations that have whale-watching vantage points, including Busselton, Dunsborough, Yallingup, Margaret River, Augusta, Denmark and Albany.

Here are some of our top picks:

Breaksea, Albany

This five bed, two bath property is the perfect spot for your whale-watching adventure. Easily houses up to 11 people, with a cosy in-house wood fire and sweeping views of Frenchman’s Bay. Find out more about Breaksea here.

Sea House, Yallingup

Your dream beach house.  Tastefully designed and decorated in coastal beach chic, it sits high above the ocean with incredible views of the water, bushland and town below.

Enjoy your whale watching season down South by staying in a Private Properties home. See more of our luxury homes here.