Five whale species — the humpback, blue, fin, sei and southern right — are considered at risk and are listed as threatened species by the Australian Government. Recovery Plans have been developed for these species. A Recovery Plan aims to ensure the long-term survival in the wild of a threatened species by identifying the threats to the species, and by setting out actions necessary to stop the decline of the species.
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Australia is fortunate to have many sites around our coastline that are ideal for whale and dolphin watching. Whale and dolphin watching is a growing industry in Australia and as of 2003 was estimated to be worth close to $300 million* a year to the Australian economy. During the past five years the industry has grown by 15 per cent per year.
Australia is fortunate to have a number of great whale and dolphin watching sites. There are numerous whale and dolphin watching operations around Australia that offer excellent opportunities to see animals in the wild. There are also many land-based sites where whales and dolphins come within meters of the coastline. Land-based whale and dolphin watching is an inexpensive way of seeing these magnificent animals in their natural environments.
Humpback Whales
Humpback Whales belong to the group of whales known as rorquals, a group that includes the Blue Whale, Fin Whale, Bryde's Whale, Sei Whale, and Minke Whale. Rorquals have two characteristics in common: dorsal fins on their backs, and ventral pleats running for the tip of the lower jaw to the navel area. They are characterised by the possession of baleen plates for sieving the krill upon which they feed. Humpback Whales are regular visitors to the coastal waters off southern Queensland. Each year, during winter, humpback whales migrate from Antarctic waters, pass through South Island New Zealand , to the warm waters of the tropics for calving.
Many humpback whales arrive in Hervey Bay from late July and remain until November when they begin their return to the southern ocean. Whale watching in Hervey Bay has become an important attraction for tourists and naturalists. In recent years visitors to Hervey Bay, from mid-July to early November, have discovered the awe inspiring experience of watching the majestic humpback whale, and their encounters with the whales on the waters of Hervey Bay have been unforgettable. These majestic creatures have made Hervey Bay a regular stop on their annual migration to Antarctica after giving birth in the warm waters of north Queensland
Mothers and calves are now relaxed and at home with the whale watching boats which carefully approach their playground, and the guaranteed sightings are counted as "an experience of a lifetime". The humpbacks have made Hervey Bay their own, and as one of the most active and acrobatic of species they provide an awesome sight with their antics, including spectacular displays of breaching, tail flapping and pectoral slapping.
About 20 operators offer whale watching tours, all vessels leaving from the Urangan Boat Harbour with the fleet offering many variations in size, carrying capacity and various other appointments.
Some vessels have sound systems to enable passengers to hear the whales sing, offer educational videos on the journey to the Hervey Bay Marine Park.
All vessels have experienced crew who provide knowledgeable commentary which provides a greater interpretation of these gentle creatures.
As the years go by, the whales seem increasingly comfortable with the cruise vessels and often come so close you can almost reach out and touch them. Of course, tour operators adhere strictly to Environmental Protection Agency guidelines, designed in consultation with the Hervey Bay operators, to protect the whales and keep them coming back to Hervey Bay year after year. Other marine life which can be sighted during a day's whale watching include dolphins, turtles, and occasionally dugong.
Humpback Whale Facts
- The humpback whale takes its name from the habit of breaking the water surface with a large area of its back when diving.
- Approximately 3,000 Humpback whales will migrate this season between Antarctica and the Great Barrier Reef
- Humpbacks are still the third most endangered species of all the big whales, but now their numbers are increasing 13% each year.
- They are the fifth largest animal on this planet, growing up to 15 metres in length with a weight of up to 45,000kg (99,000lbs) - equivalent to 11 elephants or 600 persons each!
- Humpbacks are the most acrobatic of all of the great whales
- The species displays a wide variety of leaping, rolling and breaching movements which provide fascinating viewing for whale watchers.
- The humpback whale is also well known for its complex underwater vocalisations or whale songs particularly during breeding.
- Adult whales have been seen to breach 20 - 30 times within 5 minutes, displaying awesome grace and power.
Although they have the general shape of a fish, Humpback Whales are mammals. They are warm blooded, breath air and bear live young and nurse them with milk.
The humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae is aptly named from the Greek megas meaning great and pteron, a wing, because of its huge wing like flippers. The pectoral fins of the Humpback Whale are up to 5 metres (15 feet) in length, one third of the animals total length.
These marine mammals are superbly adapted to a life of swimming and diving, and are playful and inquisitive by nature. Their size belies their grace in the water. There are no more than 5000 individuals in the Southern Hemisphere. They are the third most endangered whale species in the world, after the bowhead and right whales and are totally protected.
They grow up to 15m (50 feet) long and can weigh up to 45,000kg (99,000lbs) - equivalent to 11 elephants or 600 persons each. They have a stocky body with a broad, rounded head and extremely long flippers, which can be up to one-third of the animal's total length.
colour is generally blackish with a white area covering the throat grooves. They have up to 22 throat grooves running along the belly from the chin to the navel. The flippers are almost pure white below and mottled black and white above.
The underside of the tail flukes is marked with a variable pattern of white, making each whale recognisable at the surface as it throws its tail into the air before sounding.
A series of knobby protuberances on the head, jaws and flippers often have large barnacles growing on their summits. Each bump has a long coarse hair growing from its centre. These are believed to act as sensors.
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