Summer Stories from the Sea

December 1, 2025

What can you expect to see on our Wildlife Cruises this summer?

As the days grow longer and warmer, life around Phillip Island bursts into full swing. Summer is a spectacular time to head out on the water with us, with all sorts of marine wildlife busy nesting, breeding and foraging. Here’s what you might spot on a cruise this season.

Fur Seals

Early summer marks the start of the birthing and mating season at Seal Rocks. The big males, bulls, are defending their territory on the rocks, often with dramatic displays and vocal challenges. The cows, or female fur seals, give birth to a single pup. Between 1,000 and 2,000 pups are expected this season, with the population at Seal Rocks reaching its peak by mid-summer.

Fun fact: Bull seals can lose up to one third of their body weight during the breeding season because they’re too buys comoeting and mating to eat!

Dolphins

Keep an eye on the horizon and the wake of the boat, you might be treated to a visit from Bottlenose Dolphins. These sleek and social mammals often cruise Western Port in small pods, they sometimes swim right alongside the boat, riding the bow wave with effortless grace.

While sightings aren’t guaranteed, summer is a good time to spot some dolphins cruising the bay.

Seabirds and Shorebirds

Above the waves, the skies and dunes are just as busy. Short-tailed Shearwaters, or muttonbirds, have returned to Phillip Island after a 15,000 km journey from the Aleutian Islands near Alaska. They’re now busy renovating their sandy burrows, especially along Cape Woolamai where up to half a million birds nest.

Fun fact: Many shearwaters return to the very same burrow they left months ago, an amazing feat of navigation..

At Seal Rocks and The Nobbies, Caspian Terns and Silver Gulls are also nesting, their calls filling the air. Meanwhile, Little Penguins are diving for fish in the bay and often pop up for a breath between dives. They’re busy raising chicks, that stay behind in their burrows on Summerlands Peninsula.

Humpback Whales

Humpback whales have completed their annual migration to the warmer waters off Queensland, and most have returned to subantarctic waters to feed all through summer. Calves born this winter are making their first journey south.

Fun Fact: Some whales seen off Phillip Island have been resighted at Balleny Islands in the subantarctic ocean, a group of islands known for its krill-rich waters.

Join us on a cruise this summer and experience the Wildlife Wonders of Phillip Island.

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