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Redcliffe is preparing for the return of whale watching season, as Brisbane Whale Watching marks its 30th season taking passengers onto Moreton Bay to see humpbacks during their annual migration.
For nearly three decades, the winter migration of humpback whales has brought passengers to Redcliffe Jetty and out across Moreton Bay aboard Brisbane Whale Watching’s Eye Spy.
That seasonal rhythm is set to continue when Brisbane Whale Watching launches its 30th season on Saturday, 6 June, marking a milestone for one of the area’s long-running marine tourism experiences.
The locally operated business departs from Redcliffe aboard Eye Spy, taking locals and visitors onto Moreton Bay during the annual humpback migration. Daily tours are scheduled to operate through winter until October.
The milestone season gives the return of whale watching added significance for Redcliffe, where the business has become closely associated with winter on the peninsula and the movement of whales through Moreton Bay.
A Business Shaped by Moreton Bay’s Whales
Brisbane Whale Watching was founded by Captain Kerry Lopez, whose path to whale watching began with a whale sighting in Moreton Bay in 1990.
After securing one of the original whale watching permits issued for Moreton Bay, Captain Kerry launched the business in 1996. Since then, more than 300,000 guests from around the world have taken part in its tours.
The 30th season also reflects the broader story of humpback whales along the east coast. Captain Kerry has linked the business’s history with the recovery of the East Coast humpback population, referring to a rise from about 100 whales to more than 50,000 now passing through Moreton Bay Marine Park.
That change has helped make whale watching a regular winter experience from Redcliffe, with each season bringing new passengers onto the bay and returning guests back to the water.
Eye Spy Remains Part Of The Redcliffe Experience
The tours operate aboard Eye Spy, a multi-million dollar, high-speed catamaran built locally by South Pacific Marine in Brisbane.
The vessel includes multiple outdoor viewing areas, walk-around access across lower and upper decks, air-conditioned cabins, large windows, five toilets and wheelchair-friendly lower deck access. It also carries onboard technology including an underwater microphone and an underwater GoPro.
Eye Spy has low-noise propellers and a hull design intended to reduce wash. The vessel is supported by Sky Spy, a small Cessna 172 aircraft used to help locate whales and provide position details to the boat, reducing travel time to sighting areas.
For passengers, the season offers several ways to join the tours, including standard, premium and VIP whale watching experiences. General admission is listed from AUD $185, with Brisbane CBD transfer options and a 2026 season pass also available.
A Milestone Season Amid Rising Costs
The 30th season arrives as tourism operators continue to face pressure from rising operating costs.
Fuel costs remain a concern because they affect several parts of the operation, including coach transfers and onboard catering. Those pressures can affect ticket pricing while operators continue to maintain passenger numbers through the season.
Despite those challenges, the upcoming season remains centred on the return of the whales and the long-running Redcliffe operation built around them.
Brisbane Whale Watching has also received recent recognition, including Best of Queensland GOLD status for 2026 and induction into the Moreton Bay Business Awards Tourism Business Excellence Hall of Fame in 2025.
As the new season begins, the milestone places the focus on how far the business has come since the whale sighting in 1990 that helped shape its direction. From Redcliffe Jetty to the waters of Moreton Bay, Brisbane Whale Watching’s 30th season marks both a return to the bay and a significant chapter in the area’s winter whale watching story.
Published 1-June-2026
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