Whale Watching in Mallacoota: When and Where to Look

In winter and spring. The whales head north past Mallacoota in winter, then come back south with their calves in spring. We haven't pinned the season to exact months, so we won't guess at them here. If you're planning a trip around the whales, aim for winter or spring and give yourself a few days to look.

The two you're watching for are humpbacks and southern right whales. Both pass Mallacoota on migration.

Bastion Point sits at the mouth of Mallacoota Inlet. It has the ocean boat ramp and the surf lifesaving club building, and its beach, lookouts and boat ramp are all open again. Bastion Point and the coastal headlands are good lookouts for whales.

If you want a walk as well, the Mallacoota Coastal Walk is about 9.5 km one way. The beach walks, the coastal walk and the lake foreshore suit children and bikes. Our coastal walks guide has more on the walks.

For something much bigger, the Wilderness Coast Walk runs about 100 km, from Sydenham Inlet in Croajingolong to Wonboyn in NSW's Nadgee Nature Reserve. It usually takes 8 to 10 days.

Dolphins and seals turn up from time to time near the inlet mouth, most often early in the morning. Bastion Point sits at the inlet mouth, so it's worth an early look for them as well.

On Gabo Island you see the lighthouse, sometimes little penguins, and fur seals on nearby Little Gabo. Gabo sits about 14 km from Mallacoota, 500 m off the Croajingolong coast. You reach it by boat or light plane, weather permitting, and you have to book. You can't just turn up. We can pass on contact details for the Gabo Island boat operators.

Critically endangered swift parrots cross from Tasmania in winter to feed in flowering gums. The inlet itself has white-bellied sea eagles, pelicans, black swans, cormorants and azure kingfishers.

Dale runs guided birdwatching cruises on the inlet, booked through Mallacoota Cruise & Eco Tours. Our birdwatching guide has more on where to look, and the Mallacoota wildlife guide covers the rest.

Mild. Parks Victoria describes Mallacoota as having Victoria's warmest winter temperatures. Winter days average about 15°C, with nights around 7 to 9°C. A headland in the wind feels colder than that, so bring a warm layer. There's more on the season in our winter in Mallacoota guide.

• Stay on marked tracks and keep the noise down.
• Use binoculars rather than getting close.
• Pack a thermos and settle in. Whale watching takes patience.
• For dolphins and seals near the inlet mouth, go early: that's when they turn up most often.
• Gippsland Ports runs live webcams at Bastion Point, at gippslandports.vic.gov.au/boating/webcams.