Meet the Humpback Whale – One of the Ocean’s Great Travellers

Each year, over 30,000 humpback whales migrate along Australia’s east coast, travelling up to 10,000 km between feeding grounds in Antarctica and warmer northern waters to breed and give birth.

From June to October, they pass by the southern Great Barrier Reef – including Lady Elliot Island – making this region a prime location to witness their incredible behaviours:

• Breaching (leaping out of the water)
• Tail slapping and fin waving
• Blowhole sprays and spy-hopping

Humpbacks can grow up to 16 metres long (as big as the island’s red and white lighthouse) and weigh around 30–40 tonnes. Despite their size, they are graceful swimmers and known for their haunting songs that travel long distances through the ocean.

Lady Elliot Island provides an important rest stop for these gentle giants – part of a key migration route that also includes Hervey Bay, a designated Whale Heritage Area.

Whether you spot one from a boat, the air, or the beach, every sighting helps us understand and protect these incredible animals.