 In the early 1800s, hundreds of mostly American and French ships hunted for whales off the West Australian coastal area of Geographe Bay.
The small South-West town of Dunsborough still benefits from whales today - though the people who come here shoot thousands of rolls of camera film instead of harpoons.
The annual whale-watching season is between September and December and Dunsborough is the perfect location for the truly magnificent experience of watching southern right and humpback whales at play.
Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse provides breathtaking views of Geographe Bay and the Cape coastline. The lighthouse offers fully guided tours, a Maritime Museum, walking trails, and a whale-watching platform.
The whales migrate here from the Antarctic, and the bay acts as a resting place and nursery for large numbers of whales and their young. You can see the calves feeding, whales mating, and even hear whale song on a calm day.
Pygmy blue whales also call in at Geographe Bay between October and November. As this name suggests, the pygmy blue whale is smaller than its giant cousin. The average body length of a mature male is just over 20 metres - which means it is still a very imposing sight.
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