TIME

With the longest whale-watching season in Australia, the Gold Coast is the best place to watch the majestic humpbacks put on one of the greatest nature shows on earth.

WORDS: AMY MILLS

The Gold Coast has surf, sun and a year-round carefree ethos – and it appears humpback whales love the seaside city as much as we humans do.

For five exciting months between late May and early November, tens of thousands of playful humpback whales migrate from the chilly seas of the Antarctic to the warmer waters off the coast of Queensland to mate and birth their young before making the return trip.

The route, which is known as the Humpback Highway, sees close to 40,000 of these magnificent creatures – the most acrobatic of all the big whales – put on a spectacular annual show for awed onlookers.

Here’s everything you need to know about making the most of the Gold Coast’s whale-watching season.

Whale Spotting

Surfers Paradise city skyline

Location, Location, Location

The Gold Coast’s long whale-watching season is down to our location on Australia’s east coast – smack bang in the middle of the migration track.

The whales tend to linger longer around the surf city and come closer to shore as the waters are warmer for their sweet newborn calves.

Marine experts say the Gold Coast is definitely the best place to witness calves’ newborn behaviour and the greatest range of behavioural variation.

“Depending on the time of year, you might see young adults being playful and curious, you might see big boys competing and see mums with their babies teaching them training behaviours,” says Lauren Horner from Sea World Cruises.

Soulful Aerialists

There are myriad reasons humpback whales hold such a special place in so many hearts across the globe. One is their impressive acrobatic displays, which delight onlookers on the Gold Coast every winter and spring. During whale-watching season, it is common to see these joyful giants breaching, which is when the whale launches itself fully out of the ocean. Experts say breaching is a form of play but it could also be a way of communicating with other whales further away.

Tail slapping or lobtailing, tail throwing, pec slapping with their long pectoral fins, and spyhopping – when humpbacks raise their heads and eyes above the water to have a look around–are other crowd-pleasing tricks you might be lucky enough to witness.

These magnificent creatures are also known for their soulful song, which scientists have found can spread from one population to another across the Pacific Ocean.

Up Close and Personal

Being dwarfed by an animal up to 15 metres long and weighing 30,000 kilograms is one of the most thrilling encounters many of us will have in our lifetimes.

The best way to witness this spectacular display up close is to jump onboard of one of the ethical and responsible whale-watching cruises departing from various locations on the northern Gold Coast.

From private luxury superyacht charters to Champagne sailing cruises and accessible and eco-certified tours – such as the Coast’s long-running Sea World Cruises – there are many ways to get up close and personal with the humpbacks. You’ll also have the chance to soak up conservation knowledge from the onboard marine experts, who inspire guests to respectfully coexist with marine life.

The beauty of whale watching on the Gold Coast is that the journey to the Humpback Highway from Main Beach is just 20 minutes, so you spend less time in transit and more time marvelling at these intelligent and playful creatures as they breach, tail slap and sing to their hearts’ content.