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Great Sandy Straits: Seven Island Ultimate Wildlife Cruise
Highlights
- Join a 2.5-hour cruise through the shimmering waters of the Great Sandy Strait, spotting dolphins and turtles along the way.
- Experience the unique beauty of seven islands, each rich in cultural stories and natural landscapes.
- Observe diverse marine life, including sea birds and rays, with insights from certified naturalists on board.
- Enjoy a family-friendly adventure while supporting conservation efforts led by Pacific Whale Foundation Australia.
Great Sandy Straits: Seven Island Ultimate Wildlife Cruise
Hervey Bay and the Great Sandy Strait are a dream come true for anyone who loves wild places—especially those captivated by island landscapes, birdlife, and the chance to spot dolphins and turtles along the way.
Join this relaxed 2.5-hour cruise, a scenic journey through the sheltered, shimmering waters between the Fraser Coast and K’gari, the world’s largest sand island. This remarkable stretch of protected coastline is dotted with seven unique islands, each with its own natural beauty, cultural stories, and rich history.
As you cruise the calm, clear waters, keep your eyes peeled for pods of bottlenose and Australian humpback dolphins, and for turtles surfacing quietly for a breath of air. Along the way, you may also encounter an assortment of sea birds, rays, fish, and other marine life that call this region home from December to June.
Their certified naturalists will share fascinating insights into the lives of these remarkable animals, the importance of their habitats, and the conservation and research efforts led by Pacific Whale Foundation Australia—actively working in Hervey Bay since 1984.
Together you can enjoy the cruise while protecting the environment!
Itinerary highlights
Hervey Bay and the Great Sandy Strait are a dream come true for anyone who loves wild places—especia
Join us for a relaxed 2.5 hour cruise, a scenic journey through the sheltered, shimmering waters between the Fraser Coast and K’gari, the world’s largest sand island. This remarkable stretch of protected coastline is dotted with seven unique islands, each with its own natural beauty, cultural stories, and rich history.
Tour details
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Available from 15 December 2024 to 25 January 2026
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Available from 1 March 2026 to 31 March 2026
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Available from 1 April 2026 to 26 April 2026
Features
Service facilities
This business does not currently offer accessible facilities.
Operation information
Pacific Whale Foundation Eco Adventures Australia
Pacific Whale Foundation Eco-Adventures Australia (PWFEAA) are advocates for healthy oceans! Join one of their eco tours to become an ocean advocate too!
PWFEAA’s Hervey Bay’s Ultimate Whale Watch tour is a Tourism Australia Signature Experience and a Best of Queensland experience. Led by Marine Scientists, guests receive expert commentary and a free Junior Naturalist Whale Watch Guide activity booklet for children.
The recent addition of the Hervey Bay Nature Cruise offers guests the chance to experience Hervey Bay’s wildlife up-close during Summer and early Autumn.
Ocean Defender, their 12 metre RIB vessel, was purpose-built for wildlife and whale watching, offering water-level views and small group tours with a maximum of 38 passengers for an intimate experience.
An Australian-owned social enterprise company, PWFEAA runs eco tours and a retail shop to raise funds for education, conservation and research projects. These projects include school visits, virtual classrooms, science conferences, and Clean Up Events.
The only operator in Hervey Bay to have been researching Humpback Whales for four decades, Pacific Whale Foundation Australia’s 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 8,000 individual Humpback Whales.
Join the citizen science movement and donate your fluke and dorsal fin photos to their Whale and Dolphin Tracker project!
Tags
Accreditations
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ECO Certified (Advanced Ecotourism) by Ecotourism Australia
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ECO Certified (Ecotourism) by Ecotourism Australia
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Quality Tourism Accreditation
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Sustainable Tourism Accreditation by ATIC
Memberships
- Queensland Tourism Industry Council
- Regional Tourist/Tourism Association/Organisation
- QLD – Fraser Coast Tourism and Events
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