Looking for whales in Warrnambool is a popular activity to do in the city.
Warrnambool is a cosy city along the Great Ocean Road with some of the greatest areas to watch whales. The best place to spot the whales is at Logan’s Beach. You’ll find a viewing platform nearby too! The Australian winter months are the best for spotting these majestic animals. June to September is when the female Southern Right whales go back to Logan’s Beach with their calves. The whales can come close to the shore with their calves, which is a beautiful sight. Any other Southern Right whales stay further out in the sea. Logan’s Beach is considered a whale’s nursery and certainly a visit worth it. Even if it’s not winter.
How can I get to Logan’s Beach?
A great way to get to Warrnambool is going on the 2 Day Great Ocean Road Tour. The tour departs from Melbourne and on the first day, you go to Logan’s Beach. Just make sure you book a tour in winter to get the chance to see the whales! During this fun tour, you’ll see many other popular attractions along the Great Ocean Road. You’ll visit Tower Hill, spot much Australian wildlife and have some lunch. You’ll see some of the highlights on the Great Ocean Road like the Twelve Apostles at sunset. Before sunset, you’ll check out the Bay of Islands, the Bay of Martyrs, The Grotto, London Bridge, and the Shipwreck Coast.
Start your second day with breakfast before going down to see Loch Ard Gorge and the Twelve Apostles again! You’ll climb the Gibson Steps to see the Twelve Apostles from the beach. You’ll then go to Maits Rest and have a guided walk through the famous Otway Rainforest. For lunch, you’ll go to Apollo Bay and then see the Split Point Lighthouse. You might recognise this lighthouse from the TV show, Round the Twist. Before going back to Melbourne, you can watch some incredible surfers out at sea at Bells Beach.
What else can I do in Warrnambool?
Aside from watching the whales at Logan’s Beach during winter, there’s plenty more to do in Warrnambool. These are our favourites:
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village is a living museum taking you back in time to the 19th century. This museum resembles what life was like for the Shipwreck Coast’s first European settlers. There are more than 40 buildings to walk into and check out like a school and fire station.
Stingray Bay is a small beach and perfect to walk along. But it isn’t recommended to swim due to the strong undercurrents.
Tower Hill is about a 15 minute drive from Warrnambool. Tower Hill is now an inactive volcano and is believed to have erupted over 32,000 years ago. The Dhauwurd Wurrung people are the traditional owners of Tower Hill National Park. You can learn more about the Dhauwurd Wurrung history by doing the Indigenous culture and nature tour. There is also a lot of native wildlife in Tower Hill that you will be able to spot during your visit.
Just a small town along the Great Ocean Road, Warrnambool offers a lot to do and see. From whale watching during winter to the Dhauwurd Wurrung history in Tower Hill.