Entries about whalesong

Each year between April and November, Australia's eastern coastline is a scene f spectacular acrobatic displays of humpback whales.

After a summer of feeding on krill in Southern Antarctic waters, these charismatic animals migrate north to sub-tropical waters where they mate and give birth.

the majority of humpback in Australian waters migrate north between June and August and back towards the Southern Ocean from September to November during their annual migration of up to 10,000km.

At a maximum length of 16m, the humpback is not the largest whale found in the Australian waters. This species was once only valued dead - mainly for it's oil and baleen or 'whalebone'.

During the 1790's and early 1800's whaling ships, mainly from Britain, visited ports in New South Wales and Tasmania to unload whale products, but commercial whaling in Australia really developed during the late 1820's.

Whalers obtained oil from the whales for use as lamp fuel, lubricants, candles and as a base for perfumes and soaps.

By 1845 twenty six thousand whales has been killed.

Beginning in Australia shortly after European colonisation, whaling and the export of whale products became Australia's first primary industry.

Early Australian whalers once hunted from small boats, towing their catch back for processing at shore stations.

The development of harpoon guns, explosive harpoons and steam-driven boats made commercial whaling so efficient many whale species came very close to extinction. When southern right whales and blue whales became scarce, Australian whalers to target humpback whales, killing approximately 8,300 off the east coast between 1949 and 1962, until the International Whaling Commission banned humpback whaling in the Southern Hemisphere in 1963.

Aerial and surface surveys indicate that from an estimated 200-500 humpback whale left in 1962, 1,900 now migrate up the east coast of Australia.
Humpback whale numbers are recovering and now there are thought to be up to 5,000 breeding in Australian waters.

• The Humpback whale has no teeth, instead they have baleen plates that act like giant sieves.

• The Humpback Whale has two blowholes, one for each lung. Each of it's lungs is the size of a small car.

• A baby whale is called a calf. They are nearly one tonne when they are born and can suckle up to 600 litres of milk a day from their mums.

• A Humpbacks' lifespan can range from 48-100 years

• The song of a male humpback can travel for hundreds of kilometres and product sounds of 170 decibels

Having met Cecile at the hostel, it was nice to have some company, and we made a good team - she did the waving, I took the photos!

Wales are as interested in boats and people as we are in them. It's like watching TV, if nothings' happening, they'll switch off - so the best thing is to wave like a mad man!


The boat cruise took us out towards Fraser Island, with the chance to see the rarely visited north west side

and as we set off late, we had the bonus of heading back to shore as the sun was setting

and to see the lights of Hervey Bay as we entered the marina