FRASER Coast’s visiting humpback whales are on their way!
It’s just weeks away from the 2023 Whale Watching season, and Fraser Coast Tourism and Events is ready to celebrate!
Each year from July to October, thousands of humpbacks journey into Hervey Bay’s sheltered waters, where they stop and play for up to two weeks at a time, taking a well-earned break on their southern migration.
To honour these amazing mammals and welcome them back to our shores, Fraser Coast Tourism and Events presents the 2023 Hervey Bay Whale Festival.
“This year, we reached out to the community on social media to gather valuable feedback to help create a fun filled program for the 2023 event. As a result, we have changed some site locations and broken the festival into individual events and precincts, offering different opportunities to event attendees, with the main collaboration of the Whale Festival being held from Friday August 4 to Sunday August 6,” said events manager Chelsea Larner Simpson.
Showcasing much loved and traditional elements of the yearly festival, this year’s event celebrates the exciting return of The Blessing of the Fleet!
On hiatus last year, the Blessing returns to Hervey Bay’s Marina on Saturday July 15 to coincide with the official launch of the Hervey Bay Whale season.
A family fun ‘Marina Party’, The Blessing event showcases Hervey Bay’s whale watching fleet in the hub of Fraser Coast’s Marine Mecca. Festival goers can enjoy a range of fun-filled activities suitable for all ages, from food stalls to live music, a live jet-pack performance and concluding with the traditional procession of the Whale Fleet to celebrate the humpbacks’ return.
“Fraser Coast Tourism and Events is so pleased to bring the Blessing of the Fleet back to the Fraser Coast! The concept of a Blessing is a centuries old tradition, believed to have originated
in Mediterranean fishing communities, and the idea is to ensure a safe and prosperous season for all vessels, and we certainly wish our local tourism operators a safe and prosperous year” said Ms Larner Simpson.
KEY DATES:
- SATURDAY JULY 15
- Blessing of the Fleet will be held at the Hervey Bay Marina on July 15, from 4pm to 8pm
- THURSDAY AUGUST 3
- Creating Waves will take place at the Main Lecture Hall (Building B) at the Fraser Coast campus of UniSC Fraser Coast Campus on Thursday August 3, from 6pm to 8pm.
- FRIDAY AUGUST 4
- The Twilight Swing will be held at Pier Park in Urangan on Friday August 4, from 4pm to 8pm.
- SATURDAY AUGUST 5
- City Park Discovery Pod will be held at City Park on Saturday August 5, from 2pm to 5.30pm
- Funtime Amusement Seafront Spectacular will be held on Saturday August 5, from 5pm to 8.30pm
- SUNDAY AUGUST 6
- Paddle Out for Whales will be held at Torquay Pier in Hervey Bay on Sunday August 6, from 10am to 1pm
For more information on the 2023 Hervey Bay Whale Festival follow @frasercoastevents on Facebook and Instagram and visit the website: https://herveybaywhalefestival.com.au/
