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A wildlife calendar for Australia’s Nature Coast

Some fantastic wildlife spectacles await you on Australia’s Nature Coast. Here’s our guide to what you can expect to see.

Climate

Southern Queensland lies in the sub-tropical zone of Australia and follows a distinct wet and dry season. The wet season runs from November to March and during this time it is hot (30 to 40 °C) and humid. The cooler dry season (15 to 30 °C) is from April to October, with the humidity steadily building as the rains approach.

Humpback whales

Hervey Bay: July to November

Humpbacks are the star attractions on Hervey Bay’s event calendar and visit like clockwork from July until November each year – it’s the perfect wildlife experience to add to your itinerary during your east coast visit and the perfect accompaniment to your Fraser Island adventure.

Lady Elliot Island: May to November

Humpback whales grace the waters surrounding Lady Elliot Island on their annual migration from the Antarctic, providing spectacular acrobatic displays and a whale song soundtrack for snorkellers and divers.

Turtles: year round on Lady Elliot Island

Three species of sea turtles frequent Lady Elliot Island throughout the year:

  • Hawksbill turtle
  • Green turtle
  • Loggerhead turtle

November to March is nesting season

Green and Loggerhead turtles are the only ones that nest on the Island up to nine times in a season, laying between 80 and 120 eggs per clutch. Nesting normally happens after dark when there is sufficient water for them to swim ashore, usually in association with the high tide. Nests can be found anywhere around the Island but the majority of nests have been recorded in the sand dunes in front of Lady Elliot Island Resort and either end of the airstrip.

February to May is hatching season

At the end of the nesting season thousands of baby turtles push through their sand nest and dash their way to the sea.

Coral spawning: usually in November or December

One of the most spectacular events to occur on the Great Barrier Reef is the annual synchronised spawning of corals. This mass reproduction only happens once a year. It involves colonies and species of coral polyps simultaneously releasing tiny egg and sperm bundles from their gut cavity into the water. By expelling the eggs and sperm at the same time, the coral increases the likelihood that fertilisation will take place.

The mass spawning occurs after a full moon and only after rising water temperatures have stimulated the maturation of the gametes within the adult coral. The spawning lasts between a few days and a week. This is because different species release their eggs and sperm on different days to prevent hybrids from being produced.

While spawning takes place on a large scale, it doesn’t happen across the entire Reef all at once. Being located at the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef, the water around Lady Elliot Island takes a little longer to hit the perfect 26 °C. Spawning usually occurs in November or December.

Other marine wildlife: year round

Minke whales can often be seen off Fraser Island either singularly or in small groups. The bottlenose dolphin, common dolphin and Indopacific humpback dolphin are widespread in the area.

Dugongs, sharks and manta rays all frequent the waters around Fraser Island and Lady Elliot Island, with manta ray numbers peaking during the winter season from mid-May to mid-August.

Birds: year round

Lady Elliot Island is a bird lovers haven:

  • Resident birds inhabit Lady Elliot Island all year round, breeding in season.
  • Breeders: seabird breeders arrive on the island solely to nest and raise their young between September and March – a small number of breeders remain resident all year round.
  • Migrant birds inhabit the northern hemisphere and visit Lady Elliot Island during the northern winter. They return to the northern hemisphere for the breeding season.
  • Visiting birds spend an extended period on Lady Elliot Island but do not breed.

Dingoes: year round on Fraser Island

June to August is feeding time for new born pups

Once new born pups arrive, their mothers may be aggressive. They need to find food for themselves and their pups. Alpha mothers are very domineering during this stage, even killing another mother’s pups if she has mated with one of the pack. It’s all about survival of the fittest and the alpha pair want their pups to survive.

September to February

  • September to November is when pups are learning to hunt from the adults in the pack.
  • December to February means learning pack rules through play and showing aggressive behaviour to gain dominance.

As with all wildlife viewing, sightings cannot be guaranteed and the above is a guideline only.

Read travel consultant Isabel Ashworth's blog about her trip to Australia's Nature Coast.

View our suggested itinerary to Australia’s Nature Coast or contact us to find out more about tailoring a trip to suit your specific requirements.