The pop stars of the sea are on their way and NSW is once again in the box seat to view their annual migration. Find out where you can go to get some of the best views of the biggest mammal on the planet.
In 2000, a rare southern right whale made the waters of Sydney Harbour between Manly and Balmoral its home. Dubbed ‘Alex’, this giant of the sea was responsible for major traffic jams as thousands of Sydneysiders flocked to the headlands and beaches to see his acrobatic displays of tail waving and belly flopping.
Alex was just one of hundreds of whales that make the annual epic voyage from the icy seas of the Antarctic to the warmer Australian waters – some 10,000 kilometres – often to give birth to their calves which would perish if they did not head north.
Whale watching season kicks off in the south of the State from mid-May and lasts until around September through to November when the whales, with their newborns, return to their feeding grounds at the south pole.
Whale watching is now one of the fastest growing tourism activities in the country. In 2005, The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) launched a report that found Sydney’s whale watching industry to be experiencing tremendous growth. It found the industry generated more than $2.9 million for the NSW economy in 2004, up from $580,497 in 2003.
That translates to nearly 30,000 people who took a whale watching boat trip in 2004. Add to this the scores of people that crowd the shoreline and you realise whales are a popular attraction.
There are 43 species that travel through Australian waters.
Humpbacks and southern right whales are the most common along the east coast, although orcas – or killer whales – and the rare all-white whale called Migaloo have also been sighted.
Interestingly, humpbacks and southern rights follow a similar route each year. Here’s how to spot them. HOW TO SPOT A HUMPBACK
Renowned for their spectacular ocean antics, humpbacks will leap out of the water, roll in the air with their huge fins outstretched like wings and crash noisily back into the ocean.
Measuring 14–18 metres at maturity and weighing up to 50 tonnes, humpbacks can be easy to see due to their active behaviour.
They also have unique black and white markings on the underside of their tail flukes and arch steeply as they dive – hence the name.
Males sing complex songs to entice females to mate, and research has found they use syllables and rhyming phrases to sing different tunes, with sounds ranging from canary-like chirps to deep rumbling sounds that carry for hundreds of kilometres.
The southern right whale suffered extensively from whaling earlier last century, so spotting one is extra special.
They got their name because they were supposedly the ‘right’ whale to hunt due to their relatively slow swim speed and curiosity for boats.
These days, they delight whale watchers with their peculiar looks and crowd attracting antics, like breaching (see box, over page) and headstands. They will sometimes use their tail as a sail to hitch a free ride from the wind.
The southern right has two blowholes, which together produce a distinguishing v-shape blow.
Byron Bay, the State’s most easterly point, has unsurpassed whale watching from the coast, with great numbers of mainly humpbacks visible from Cape Byron. If you want a closer view, take a full-day or half-day cruise with Baysail; tours run from July through to November. For further information call 1300 857 443 or visit www.baysail.net.au. For something a little different, you can view a whale from a kayak. Call Cape Byron Kayaks on 6685 4161 or visit www.byron-bay.com/byronbayseakayaks/index.html. There’s also Ballina & Beyond Fishing Trips & Charters; call 6628 6350 for a whale whatching tour from May to September.
Further south, other vantage points include Iluka Bluff and Angourie Point.
The Solitary Islands Marine Reserve (off the Coffs Harbour coast) is a hotspot for whale watching as the islands provide shelter and calmer waters for the mammals. Spirit of Coffs Harbour runs whale watching cruises that tour the Reserve and the Coffs Harbour coastline. For more information call 6650 0155 or visit www.spiritofcoffs.com.au. The area around South West Rocks has excellent vantage points, particularly from the lighthouse-capped Smoky Cape, which is ideal for early morning sightings when the whales’ spray can be more easily seen.
Port Stephens claims to be the dolphin capital of NSW and its natural harbour provides good boat-based viewing, where you can get up close and personal with the whales. Operators, such as Imagine Cruises, leave Nelson Bay regularly for dolphin and whale watching tours. For more information call Imagine Cruises on 4984 9000 or visit www.imaginecruises.com.au. Moonshadow Cruises operate from Port Stephens and Newcastle. For more details call 4984 9388 or visit www.moonshadow.com.au.
The Tomaree National Park, with its 20km of rocky coastline and beaches, is recommended for land-based viewing.
The dramatic coastal vistas from Crackneck Lookout in the Wyrrabalong National Park make for a perfect vantage point for spotting the mamals.
Many beaches and headlands allow for good viewing – it pays to keep watch as whales often come in close and take shelter in the bays, and they occasionally stray into the Harbour. North and South Head are worth a look, but Cape Solander at Botany Bay has a whale-watching lookout with information signs and, during the season, a band of volunteers count the number of migratin whales.
For boat-based tours check out Sydney Eco Whale Watching (9878 0300 or www.austspiritsailingco.com.au) or Bass & Flinders Cruises (9583 1199 or www.bassflinders.com.au).
The cliffs off Jervis Bay such as the Ruined Lighthouse are perfect for sightings, as is Montague Island (off the coast of Narooma), Merimbula and Ulladulla. For boat-based whale watching tours in Jervis Bay/Huskisson, check out Dolphin Explorer Cruises on 1800 444 330 or visit www.dolphincruises.com.au. Dolphin Watch Cruises also conducts whale watching tours in the area. Call 4441 6311 or visit www.jervisbaywhales.com.au.
Island Charters Narooma takes people out on whale watching cruises between September and November. Call 4476 1047 or visit www.islandchartersnarooma.com.
The calm waters of Twofold Bay provide a natural place for whales to rest and eat in one of the world’s deepest harbours.Eden has the highest success rate for boat-based whale watching in the State. Take a tour with Cat Balou (6496 2027 or www.acr.net.au/~catbalou/).
Eden also hosts an annual whale watching festival in November (visit www.edenwhalefestival.com) and has a terrific whale museum.
Early to late morning and early afternoon are reasonably good times of the day to whale watch from most vantage points because there is less sunlight and glare off the water so it’s easier to see the telltale ‘blow’.
The best thing about land-based whale watching is it’s free; however, boat tours get you closer to the whales with the advantage of having someone on board who has the know-how and knowledge to help you spot them. Expect to pay anywhere between $40–$100 per adult and $20–$75 per child. Policies vary in the event you don’t see a whale – refunds are unlikely but most tour operators will provide a free return trip. Check out the licensed operators mentioned in this article, or local tourism offices and the internet for a more extensive list.
If you go out by boat on your own remember there are restrictions in place to ensure the mammals do not get distressed.
Stay at least 100 metres away, 200 metres if a calf is present and 300 metres if the whale is on the move – approach from behind only, cut your engine and do not block its path. If you’re swimming or diving and spot a whale, keep a distance of at least 30 metres for your own safety.
For more information on whale watching, visit www.ifaw.org.au/whalewatching or www.deh.gov.au/coasts/species/cetaceans/index.html.
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BLOWING Every 60 seconds or so, whales blow air, water vapour and mucus as they surface to take a breath. |  |
TAIL DANCING refers to when the tail is above the surface for long periods in almost an upright fashion. It’s thought this is a rest position for a whale, or a way of exploring the underwater scenery. |
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BREACHING occurs when the whale launches its body out of the water, twists and then crashes back into the ocean. |
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DEEP DIVING happens when, in a hurry, a whale will drop its head and lift its tail up high as it descends. |
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TAIL LOBBING refers to when the tail lifts out of the water and slams down on the surface producing a loud cracking sound. |
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