Humpback whales visit the Ningaloo Reef between June to November each year migrating twice annually through the Ningaloo Reef Marine Park into the Exmouth Gulf. The first visit occurs in autumn during their northern migration, and they return in their southern migration each spring.

Female Humpback Whales give birth in the deeper offshore waters where whales and their calves then spend their time frolicking in the calm Exmouth Gulf waters.

Visits to the Exmouth Gulf waters and Ningaloo Marine Park, in season, can see these magnificent creatures as they migrate to or from the area. Spectacular shows of "breaching" or an inquisitive humpback whale calf approaching the Whale Watching tour boat, just metres away from you, gives an in-sight into these magnificent marine animals. 

The migration of the humpback whales is fantastic sight.

When a curious calf or adult whale approaches your tour boat, surfacing or just gliding silently beneath the tour boat, you get an appreciation about the dimensions of this mammal which is the fifth largest of the great whales with its huge wing like flippers. Adult females grow to 19 metres, slightly longer than adult males. A mature humpback may weigh 40 tonnes.

You can experience and observe this annual event in the Exmouth Gulf where "Whale Watching Tours" operate from Exmouth and Coral Bay. The waters of the Exmouth Gulf is an ideal location to see the Humpback Whales playing and nursing their calves.

This is a event you can also watch from the beach but the whale watching tours gives you excellent photograph opportunities to see these majestic whales in their element

Humpback Whales can also be seen from various vantage points, especially Vlaming Head Lighthouse which has powerful coin operated binoculars, as they migrate to or away from the Exmouth Gulf rounding Vlaming Heads. Some are far out to sea where you can plainly sea the spray of air and water as they surface to breath. Others can be close to shore where for a moment, they are plainly visible. You may be lucky enough may see them frolicking close to shore in one of the bays along the coast line.

The below map shows the Exmouth Gulf where regular Whale Watching Tous operate in season. - Use the "Slider" to Zoom the map out to see this area in relation to Exmouth.