Pacific Whale Foundation Eco-Adventures Australia
Pacific Whale Foundation Eco-Adventures Australia (PWFEAA) was founded in 2011 as a fully owned subsidiary of Pacific Whale Foundation, an international NGO dedicated to protecting our ocean and marine life since 1980.
Based in Hervey Bay in Queensland, PWFEAA takes guests on voyages in The Great Sandy Marine Park to experience the wonder of its unique marine habitat and its incredible array of diverse marine life. As the only operator in the region to have been researching Humpbacks Whales for over three decades, Pacific Whale Foundation scientists are responsible for the South Pacific’s longest running photo-identification project and the largest curated database of Humpback Whales in Eastern Australia, having detailed the life histories of over 6,000 individual Humpback Whales.
A firm believer in science-based data collection in order to identify threats to our eco-system, PWFEAA encourages our guests to utilise citizen-science opportunities to assist our own scientists in discovering the best way to improve the environment for our marine wildlife.
With a mission to protect the oceans through science and advocacy and to inspire environmental stewardship, the social enterprise company runs eco tours and a merchandise shop to raise funding for education, conservation and research projects, with regular involvement in school visits, virtual classrooms, community forums and educational conferences.
As part of our commitment to sustainability we have developed a code of practice relating to our wildlife interactions along with involvement in numerous research and conservation programs. We have also sought independent verification of our practices through Ecotourism Australia. Our Advanced Ecotourism Accreditation is awarded to Australia's leading and most innovative ecotourism products, providing an opportunity to learn about the environment with an operator who is committed to achieving best practice when using resources wisely, contributing to the conservation of the environment and helping local communities.
Speciality areas
- Marine Mammals
Quick facts
- Hervey Bay is regarded as the whale watching capital of Australia, offering some of the most up close and personal humpback whale encounters.
- This calm bay provides the perfect conditions for thousands of migrating whales to rest, play and interact with other whales between July and October.
- Breaching, whalesongs and muggings are common to witness.
About the region
Hervey Bay
Hervey Bay is a natural bay located in Southeast Queensland between the mainland and World Heritage-listed K'gari (formerly Hervey Bay), just below the start of the Great Barrier Reef. With depths generally less than 18 metres, this wide shallow bay of approximately 4000 square kilometres, provides perfect conditions for thousands of migrating whales to rest, play and interact with other whales in the calm waters.
The waters of Hervey Bay come alive with Humpback Whales between July and late October, with the region laying claim to some of the most active and inquisitive whales found anywhere across the globe, with breaches, whale songs and muggings (curious whales approach and interact with vessels) common practice.
The region is a critical resting ground for whales, with breeding pairs migrating ahead of mothers and calves, all part of the annual migration to and from the Southern Ocean. Whales stay in the Hervey Bay region for an average of 10 days with various age groups enjoying the tranquil waters, including mothers and their calves, as well as juvenile and adult males that can often be heard “singing” underwater.
Long regarded as Australia’s whale watching capital, Hervey Bay was the first declared Whale Heritage Site by the World Cetacean Alliance in 2019.
Our experiences guides tell it like it is
