While admiring the bridge and its views, the group spotted a whale and calf heading south about 2km offshore.

"It was just so exciting," she said.

"I was so thrilled they just happened to be there at the right time."

Ms Faulks said it was the last day of her visitors' trip to Australia and she wanted it to be memorable.

"The bridge is just gorgeous and when we got down there we got an even better surprise.

"They were just breaching beautifully and they were very active.

"They were doing the full up and over and flop thing and you could see their white undersides.

"They were really quite close to the coast."

Whales have begun their annual migration south, returning to their feeding grounds after spending the winter in warmer waters.

The peak whale-watching season is in September and October when mothers bring their calves closer to the coast.