Experience the Whale Watch trip of a lifetime. Get up close and personal with the majestical Humpback Whales, and enjoy their close encounters...
 | Vessel | Activities available on this boat | Ports | Choose from these sailing dates: | |||||||||||
| Tasman Venture |  Sailing  Sunning  Whale Watching  Sightseeing | Departs: Hervey Bay Returns: Hervey Bay Click on locations for more info |
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| Rate per 1+ Child | Rate per 1+ Senior | Rate per 1+ Adult | Rate per 1+ Family | |
 | AUD $60.00 | AUD $105.00 | AUD $115.00 | AUD $310.00 |
Experience the Whale Watch trip of a lifetime. Get up close and personal with the majestical Humpback Whales, and enjoy their close encounters. The luxurious 20 metre catamaran is especially designed for whale watching, giving you clear viewing decks, underwater viewing windows, hydrophone, unique viewing platform and underwater camera. Our friendly, experienced and accredited staff will give you an amazing experience you will never forget.
Your Whale Watch tour includes:
- Guaranteed sightings (or return ticket)
- Expert accredited commentary
- Friendly and experienced staff
- Tea/coffee with biscuits, cake & antipasto platter on the way home
- Hydrophone equipped to hear the whales sing
- Fully licensed bar
- Underwater viewing windows (see the whales in their natural environment)
- Access to the unique viewing platform (gets you to eye level with the whales)
- Free "Close Encounters" Whale Watch DVD
- Entertainment for the children (toys, coloring in and DVDs)
- Multi lingual staff and whale information in 6 languages
- Air-conditioned comfort in all cabin areas
- Free transfer from your Hervey Bay Accommodation
| Vessel: Tasman Venture | Type: Motor |
| Length: 66ft | Crew: Supplied |
| Engine size: 1400hp | Hull type: Catamaran |
| Cruising speed: 25kn | Engine: Two 700 HP Catapillar motors |
* 20 metre New Wave Catamaran
* Two 700 HP Catapillar motors
* 25 Knot Cruising Speed
* 240V power
* Refrigeration and Snap Freeze Facilities
* LCD Television, Video and DVD
* Stereo and CD player
* Satellite Mobile Phone
* HF and VHF radios
* State of the art navigational equipment
* Fully licensed
* Fully Air Conditioned
* Underwater Viewing Windows
* Dory's for Extended Charters
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Lloyd and Robyn Burgess are owner operators of the Tasman Venture since 1991.
Lloyd and Robyn Burgess and their three daughters moved to Hervey Bay in 1991 where they took over operations of the Tasman Venture. This sea change was one that the whole family was excited about. The first year of operations was a real learning experience for the Burgess family and included operating both full day Whale Watching Tours and Local Fishing Tours.
The Tasman Venture has been involved in Commercial Whale Watching since its conception in 1987. With its then owners being the first to advertise and operate whale watching tours in Hervey Bay.
Since 1991, Lloyd and Robyn have been constantly striving to provide the best possible experience to all passengers. This has seen the operation of three vessels throughout the years, the ‘original’ Tasman Venture, Tasman Venture II, and the NEW Tasman Venture.
Tasman Venture II, a Cougar Catamaran, was built in 1992. With the completion of the Tasman Venture II brought a lot of change in regards to the types of trips that were possible. The first change was to the Whale Watching tour, with the possibility of operating two ½ day tours per day, due to the speed of the boat, meaning less travelling time. The second change was to the fishing charters, with the speed of the vessel making the travelling time for extended charters a lot more viable. As a result of the increased interest for extended charters also came the completion of operating local day fishing trips.
The day after the Tasman Venture II began operating Lloyd was already thinking about designing a new boat. Finally in 2004 he had designed the NEW Tasman Venture with the assistance of New Wave Catamarans and the construction began. Lloyd was heavily involved in all aspects of the design and construction of the boat and with the help of family and friends fitted out the boat on completion. Lloyd & Robyn could not have been happier with the end result, a boat that is purpose built for Whale Watching, Fishing Charters and Family Fun!!
As you can imagine Lloyd is now dreaming of his next creation…
Sailing
Sunning
Whale Watching
Sightseeing
Close Encounters
Close Encounters
Recent Catches
Recent Catches
Recent Catches
History of Whale Watching in Hervey Bay
Whale Watching in Hervey Bay dates back to 1987, however worldwide it dates back to 1950 when the Cabrillo National Monument in San Diego was declared a public spot for the observation of Gray Whales. The first water based whale watching commenced in 1955 in the same area, charging customers $1 per trip to view the whales at closer quarters.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s whale watching spread throughout the world, with Hervey Bay being one area that saw the potential of this industry. It did not take long for Hervey Bay to gain a reputation for being the ideal location to view Humpback Whales in their natural environment, named the “Whale Watch Capital of the World ”.
In 1990 the waters known as Platypus Bay, on the western side of Fraser Island was declared the Hervey Bay Marine Park. The Hervey Bay Marine Park was then governed by the Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Services, controlling the number of commercial operators, enforcing whale watching regulations and monitoring the effects of whale watching. These regulations are enforceable for aircraft and people as well as tourism operators.
Whale Watching is now a thriving industry in Hervey Bay and attracts over 70 to 80 thousand tourist each year.
Whale Information
The main species of Whale sighted during the Whale Watch season in Hervey Bay (July to October) are the Humpback Whales. Before viewing these spectacular animals, this information will give you an insight into their lives.
Class: Mammalia
Order: Cetacea
Suborder: Mysticeti
Family: Balaenopteridae
Genus: Megaptera
Species: Novaeangliae
Physical Description
The name Humpback refers to their habit of exposing the large central area of their backs as they do repeatedly when swimming along near the waters surface.
As with humans, all humpback whales differ in appearance, whether it is their colouring or the shape of their tail fluke. Their true identity is determined through their tail fluke, which is as individual as a humans fingerprints. In general though, the southern humpback whales are black or grey with a white, grooved underbelly.
Megaptera means 'giant wings' and refers to the humpbacks large pectoral fins, which can reach a length of 4.5 metres, a third of their body length.
Size
Humpback Whales are the fifth largest animal on this planet, growing to a size equivalent to 11 elephants or 600 humans. They grow to be about 15 – 16 metres long, weighing up to 40 - 50 tons. The females are slightly larger than the males, as with all baleen whales.
Diet and Baleen
Humpback whales are seasonal feeders and carnivores that filter feed tiny crustaceans, called krill. A humpback consumes between 900 and 1000 kilograms of krill a day. They filter large amounts of water and as this is pushed back out their mouth the krill are left behind. The baleen acts like a giant seive and appears like a straw broom hanging from the roof of their mouth. Humpback whales have been viewed in the Hervey Bay waters surfacing with their mouths open, showing their baleen plates. It is however unknown whether this is related to feeding or some other behaviour.
Some groups of Humpbacks engage in social hunting in which several whales encircle a school (group) of krill and blow bubbles that form a 'net' around the fish, then spiralling upwards they gorge their prey when the krill is on the surface. The humpback whale has about 330 pairs of dark grey baleen plates with coarse grey bristles hanging from the jaws. They are about 60cm long and 34 cm wide.
Behaviour
There are many behaviours that you may see when observing Humpbacks in Hervey Bay. Some of these include breaching, spy hopping, tail slapping, pectoral slapping, and spouting. The reasons behind these behaviours are not fully understood but many theories exist.
Another behaviour that is always welcomed by passengers is 'mugging'. This is where the humpbacks travel right up to the boat and are seen to play beside the boat and at times spy hopping up close to take a peek. Humpback whales are very curious and have even been known to use their bodies to guide their calves closer to the boat.
Vocalisations
The 'songs' of humpback whales are complex vocalisations thought to be only made only by the males. They have long, varied, complex, eerie, and beautiful songs that include recognisable sequences of squeaks, grunts, and other sounds. The songs have the largest range of frequencies used by whales, ranging from 20 - 9,000 Hertz. When in warm waters their songs are known to be complex, perhaps used for mating purposes. While in the cold waters, they make rougher sounds, scrapes and groans, perhaps used for locating large masses of krill.
Habitat and Range
Humpbacks are found in all the world's oceans. They migrate from the arctic waters, where they eat, to the warm tropical waters, where they breed and calve. In both of these environments the humpback whales are known to live at the surface of the ocean.
There are several populations of humpbacks around the world; these include those living in the North Pacific Ocean, those in the North Atlantic Ocean, and those roving the oceans of the Southern Hemisphere. Within these populations there are several groups that migrate in different pathways. It is the latter of the populations that we encounter in the calm waters of Hervey Bay.
Reproduction
Humpback whale breeding occurs mostly in the winter to early spring while near the surface and in warm, tropical waters. The gestation period is about 11-12 months and also occurs whilst in warm waters. The calf (baby whale) is born tail first and near the surface in warm, shallow waters. The newborn calf is about 4m long and weighs about 1,000 kilograms. Calves are known to drink up to 600 litres of milk each day, putting on around 45 kilograms a day. The milk is of a toothpaste like consistency and after being squirted out by the female whale it is suspended in the water until the calf consumes it.
Population
In the 1870s humpback whales numbered an estimated 125,000, but early in the 20th century whaling drastically reduced the population. By the 1960's they were nearly extinct.
Today it is estimated that there are over 10,000 - 15,000 Humpback Whales world wide, still a fraction of the numbers estimated in 1870. The southern hemisphere population is estimated 7000 in 2006 to consist of around whales. Humpback whales are still considered to be a vulnerable species, and the fight continues to stop whaling for 'scientific' purposes.
Terms of booking on this website
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