A new whale watching season is now in full swing and it's been "an unbelievable start" according to the newest cruise operator offering passengers "the experience of a lifetime" just off our coast.

While cruises have been operating out of Jervis Bay and the Shell Cove Marina for several years, Aquilla Cruises is a new player on the scene, providing the only whale watching experience out of Wollongong Harbour.

Aquilla owner Bobby Profilio and his family have been operating fishing charters out of Wollongong since 1994 but last year it was decided to expand the business.

Bobby purchased a larger, 60-foot boat from Perth, and from August 2024 he was able to comfortably accommodate 22 passengers, more than twice the capacity of his previous vessel. 

Expanding the charter business

Moving into the growing whale watching business was a "no brainer" according to Bobby, with whale migration numbers along Australia's east coast now exceeding 40,000 each year.

"People just love the experience and this season is already off to a fantastic start," Bobby said. "It's the first full season we've been doing it and with the larger boat we can offer more space, comfort and speed. 

"The response has been super positive and at this stage the majority of our passengers are locals."

Aquilla crew member Scott Lear gets as excited as the passengers on board every time there's a sighting of these gentle giants.

"The last trip we did there was a whale breached right in front of us," Scott said. "You can actually feel the vibration on board when those big whales breach. It's the most phenomenal experience."

Offering a premium day on the water

Bobby said his aim was to build a premium experience for passengers with tea, coffee and a barbecue on board, and heating and air conditioning in the cabin to provide maximum comfort..

"Most whale watching cruises are only around 90 minutes. We offer a three-hour package and want to give everyone the best opportunity to experience these majestic whales as they make their way along the humpback highway from Antarctica to Harvey Bay where they give birth.

"People love whales," Bobby said. "Whales are like fireworks or a fire. You can sit back and watch them for hours; they are mesmerising. When they do their big jumps, you say, 'How does a 15-metre whale manage to get that far out of the water?'"

Bobby said the peak time for whale watching will be during the next month as the whales make their way north.

"Then there's a bit of a lull in late July and August before we get another run when they head south again later in the year."

A new offering for tourists 

The Aquilla team is hoping to attract more visitors to Wollongong for an experience of a lifetime.

"It hasn't been the best year for tourism, and we're trying to do our bit by bringing more people to the Gong. At present there's not much to do here," Bobby said.

"We are hoping to attract people who leave Sydney and head south, encouraging them to stay a couple of nights in the Gong rather than continuing their drive south to Jervis Bay.

"We can even offer a double experience – come fishing with us in the morning and whale watching in the afternoon. And at present there's a 15 per cent discount to join us for a fishing trip."

At present Aquilla whale watching cruises are only available on weekends and there's a whale sighting guarantee. If no whales are spotted, a return voucher will be offered for the current season.