Freedom Whale Watch

Freedom Whale Watch

Freedom Whale Watch
5
BeachesBoat ToursDolphin & Whale WatchingNature & Wildlife ToursDay Trips
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Make a day of it with Freedom and the whales in Hervey Bay from Jul-Oct! Spend more time with the awe-inspiring whales on our full day luxury whale-watch cruise. The comfortable 58ft power catamaran, capacity just 49 people, departs at 9:30am and returns at about 4pm, Sit back and relax as we motor quickly to Platypus Bay. The cruise along pristine K'Gari (Fraser Island) beaches is a picture perfect backdrop to the incredible whale encounters. With three viewing platforms, including water-level, you will be up close to the magnificent creatures. The humpbacks are inquisitive and playful. They approach the boat, spyhopping and breaching. It's an unforgettable experience. Morning and afternoon tea and lunch are all included, and with a licensed bar and courtesy bus, three bathrooms and a wonderful, friendly crew, your whale watch experience will be memorable, informative and uncrowded. Freedom can also be hired for private day charters or overnight trips on the Great Sandy Strait.
Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia
Meets animal welfare guidelines

Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours and Tickets by Freedom Whale Watch
Travelers talk about

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles1,887 reviews
Excellent
1,823
Very good
55
Average
6
Poor
2
Terrible
1

KLG62
Gold Coast, Australia3,298 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Couples
Keith and his trusty crew of 2 lady’s looked after us all day and ensured we remained well entertained, fed and informed about whales and Fraser Island. It was also pleasing to note that the day was extended due to having so many whales around us, that’s what I call going above and beyond in a charter trip. We felt comfortable with the precautions taken for COVID and the numbers onboard meant there was plenty of room to take the many photos of whales and dolphins we saw. There were 3 viewing levels to get that great shot and the boat was yours to explore. Wonderful day, thank you.
Written August 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for your wonderful review. It is our pleasure to share the magic of the whales as well as the beauty on Fraser Islands western beaches with our guests. It is pleasing to read that ou COVID safety measures are also appreciated enough for you to feel safe. Take care and return soon.
Written August 7, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Joan S
6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
Hi thank you so much for the two fabulous days I spent whale watching with you. From the moment I set on the boat you felt the good will from the staff and their desire to make it a wonderful day.
Our introduction on boarding was a necessity but was not boring but fun and kept our attention and participation.
The information that was broadcast gave us knowledge of the various islands we passed, history, how they grew, and who lived there or could visit them. It made the journey out to the area that the whales frequented both interesting and come to life. Good environmental information.
Then came the whales. We were encouraged to help sight them as we progressed forward using the clock to let the skipper know where even a black patch or a blow of air was seen. The group became involved.
The skipper went to great lengths to drift along when whales were close by so they were not stressed in any way.
He also stayed out late both days because we were watching a good display of action.
As an incidental we had great food. Home made scones, jam and cream, plus giant profiteroles all made by the skipper for morning and afternoon tea, plus a smorgasbord lunch and fruit, and cheese boards.
What more could you ask for? A wonderful 2 days. Thanks
Written August 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for your wonderful review Joan. It is very pleasing to hear you enjoyed the commentary and found the whale watching entertaining. Coming for two days is a great way to see many different behaviours as the whales are interacting with each other and boat differently over time. We hope to see you next season for more whale adventures.
Written August 11, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Traveller 8050
Zurich, Switzerland24 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Family
What a truly magnificent experience. Cannot thank Toni and her incredible crew enough. My 11 year old was the only child on the tour and was treated royally; she cannot stop talking about her experience. Everything from the food to the hospitality was spot on, especially the magnificent humpbacks that paid us a visit. We've been out in Australia for around a month now and this was one of the highlights of our trip so far. Thanks guys, you're awesome 😎
Written October 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for this wonderful review. We have just bought this business from Keith and Sue and we have big whale-sized boots to fill! We hope to see you again in the future and please spread the word!
Written December 10, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Lincoln67
Gympie, Australia38 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2021
Although the weather may have been less than wonderful, the full day whale watching was worth every cent. Morning tea of scones & profiteroles, lunch was cold meats & salad and afternoon tea was cheese, crackers & fruit all of which was fresh and served by lovely staff. The trip was both pleasurable and informative, not to mention exciting seeing several whales particularly a mother & baby frolicking & breaching!! Wonderful photos to enjoy!
Written September 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for sharing your positive impression of our tour. We love to hear that you learned something abouth the whales and the area and found the food enjoyable. We hope to welcome you onboard again soon.
Written September 6, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Voyager524372
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021 • Couples
Keith, Sue and the team were amazing. We had a great day out on the water with about 2 hours up close with 3 whales.
The lunch was great.
Highly recommend this tour to anyone looking for a operator who will work with the visitors to meet their needs
Thanks
Written July 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It's pleasing to hear you enjoyed the day on the water with the whales even so early in the season. The close encounters and very rewarding and don't happen every day. Thanks for choosing Freedom and we hope to see you again in the future.
Written July 22, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

TK1956
Brisbane, Australia279 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Couples
Left at 9.30 and got back at 4.30. Where other tours have to go home late morning, we stayed on.
Our skipper, Keith, did a great job locating whales, mainly youngsters. We even got “mugged” by the whales.
The ladies in the cabin did a great job looking after the guests with morning and afternoon teas and lunch.
The boat is not crowded due to Covid restrictions which makes it even more comfortable.
Can’t recommend this tour more highly.
Loved every moment.
Written August 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We greatly appreciate your wonderful review. The ladies in the galley, Toni, Rebecca and Jess are doing an awesome job coping with the new regulations due to COVID. They don't get much time to watch whales anymore. We are pleased you felt comfortable onboard Freedom III and that the whales gave you some magical close encounters. August is the best time for these encounters. Soon it will be mostly Mothers and Calves. There's a reason to come back!
Written August 18, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Sarah D
Brisbane, Australia11 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2020 • Family
Our full day whale watching tour with Freedom far exceeded my expectations - we came across our first pod of whales within about 45 minutes of setting off and we must have seen about 10 pods in all. Some pods were very playful, breaching and swimming under the boat etc. Even my teenage son, who was initially nonchalant, ended up enthusing that it was the most amazing experience that he’ll never forget! The team did a great job of preparing nice food throughout the day and the hotel pick up and drop off couldn’t have been smoother. Thank you, Freedom team, for an absolutely awesome trip. We look forward to coming again another year!
Written September 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for the absolutely awesome review. We are thrilled that everyone had such a memorable day with the whales in our beautiful marine playground. We look forward to welcoming you back onboard Freedom hopefully next season.
Written September 30, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

paulastaggs
Narangba, Australia41 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020 • Family
100 ppl on our afternoon cruise. In this era of social distancing we were a but worried about space. Gosh there was so much room! Multiple levels, viewing spots inside and outside.

The crew were very knowledgeable, and knew where to go to get nice and close. The captain was respectful of the whales in making sure they had plenty of space. He also moved the boat around to ensure maximum ppl could see.

Not cheap $280 for a family of 4. Worth it for the 4.5 hours enjoying a gorgeous afternoon. Recommend bringing snacks. There is a kiosk onboard but not cheap and coffee isnt great.
Written August 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sorry but this review must have been meant for another boat, Perhaps Spirit of Hervey Bay? the details of the tour do not agree with our 3/4 day tour.
Written August 15, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Steven W
Upper Mt Gravatt, Australia34 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2020 • Family
Just wanted to share what a great day we had with captain Keith and the team from freedom 3 today.
The pick up from our accommodation was on time, the courtesy shown as we were welcomed aboard made us feel totally welcome.
Their hospitality was terrific, and the number of whales we saw was unreal. Even though the seas were a little choppy the boat rode comfortably.
Written September 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for joining us onboard Freedom III for your whale adventure. The choppy seas can make the whales more active. Hopefully you were not affected by the conditions. We hope to see you next season for more whale encounters.
Written September 27, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Hazza’s Trip Adviser
Jimboomba, Australia37 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2020
The first part of the day was lovely, food great and everything clean. The captains really informative and very much the entertainer. Second part of the day.... well I expected to ‘spot’ a few whales and take some distant photos of splashes.. instead we had a number of whales swim along with the boat and put on quite the show. Incredible day out!! Thanks so much!!
Written September 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It is wonderful to read that we exceeded your expectations. It sounds llike the whales put on an awesome show for you. That is the magic of Hervey Bay whale watching, the close encounters and sheer number of whale visitors. We hope to share it with you again in the future.
Written September 27, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Showing results 1-10 of 1,821
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

Freedom Whale Watch - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2025)

All Hervey Bay HotelsHervey Bay Hotel DealsLast Minute Hotels in Hervey Bay
All things to do in Hervey Bay
Amusement Parks in Hervey BayZoos & Aquariums in Hervey BayTheater & Concerts in Hervey Bay
RestaurantsFlightsVacation RentalsTravel StoriesCruisesRental Cars