Each winter, the sheltered waters of Hervey Bay become a gathering place for Humpback Whales travelling along Australia's east coast. Some arrive as curious young whales, approaching vessels to investigate their visitors. Others pause with a newborn calf, taking time to rest before continuing their journey south.
The 2026 season brought all of these encounters and more. For Isabel Anthony, Marine Scientist and Naturalist with Pacific Whale Foundation Eco-Adventures Australia, it also offered a chance to reconnect with familiar whales and discover links between animals photographed thousands of kilometres apart.
A welcome return after 18 years
Among the familiar whales photographed in 2026 was Takisha, a Humpback first documented in Hervey Bay by The Oceania Project in 1989. Takisha had last been recorded in the Bay in 2008. In September 2026, Isabel photographed her again, this time accompanied by a new daughter. It was Takisha's first documented sighting in Hervey Bay in 18 years.
The reunion shows how much can be learned by following individual whales over time. The distinctive markings on the underside of a whale's tail can help researchers recognise it across seasons and build a picture of its sighting history.
Another familiar visitor was Nala, one of Hervey Bay's best-known Humpback Whales. First photographed by Pacific Whale Foundation in 1988, she had been documented with 15 calves by September 2025. She was sighted again in July 2026 without a calf and may have been pregnant, although that remains unconfirmed.
When a whale opens wide
Breaches and tail slaps might be the best-known Humpback behaviours, but guests and crew also recorded a more unusual sight during 2026: whales opening their mouths wide at the surface.
Known as gaping, the behaviour has been observed in social encounters, including close to vessels. Some calves and young whales have also been heard making a "jaw-clapping" sound.
Scientists are still exploring what gaping means. It may be associated with play, communication or stretching, while some calf observations could be linked to suckling. There is not yet enough evidence to confirm that it increased in 2026 or occurs more often in Hervey Bay than elsewhere.
Video Credit: Ann Skarratt, Spirit of Hervey Bay
A connection across the Pacific
One of the season's most intriguing discoveries began with a photograph. In August, Isabel photographed a Humpback Whale in Hervey Bay that had previously been documented in French Polynesia. The whale, known as July, was matched through Happywhale, a platform that helps identify whales from photographs shared around the world.
According to Isabel, this was the first documented match between French Polynesia and Hervey Bay. She also photographed three whales in the Bay that had previously been recorded in New Caledonia, while fellow naturalist Vicki Neville documented at least one more.
These matches tell us that the same individuals have been seen in both places. They do not, on their own, reveal the routes the whales took or why they visited Hervey Bay. They do, however, give researchers new opportunities to collaborate and investigate the movements of these remarkable animals.
An encounter that stays with you
Not every memorable moment happens above the surface. On one trip, Isabel recalls a guest moved to tears after hearing whale song through the vessel's underwater hydrophone for the first time. Another international visitor, speaking through an interpreter, told the crew that the experience was one of the best days of his life. These moments are part of what makes Hervey Bay special: the chance to watch a whale breach, hear its song, or simply share a quiet stretch of water with a mother and calf.
Among the memorable moments captured during the season was a double synchronised breach, as two adult Humpback Whales rose from the water together at close range. It was an extraordinary sight for guests on board and a reminder that no two days on Hervey Bay are quite the same.
Video Credit: Pacific Whale Foundation Eco-Adventures Australia
Explore the world's first declared Whale Heritage Site with Pacific Whale Foundation Eco-Adventures Australia on an Ultimate Hervey Bay Whale Watching journey between July and late October.