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Whale migration off Sydney
The whales most often seen around Sydney Harbour are the Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae and the Southern Right Whale Eubalaena australis.
Humpback Whales annually migrate up and down the eastern coast of Australia. The best time to see Humpback whales off the coast of Sydney is during the winter months, from June into the first week of July as they travel to northern breeding grounds. As many as 150-200 pass the Sydney coastline every day. They can often be seen from Sydney headlands such as North Head and South Head, Barrenjoey Headland to the north and Cape Solander to the south. The return journey is made during summer, with the whales migrating south to feeding grounds in the Southern Ocean.
In recent years, there have been increased sightings of Southern Right Whales Eubalaena australis along the New South Wales coast. The whales often stay in the same area for a few hours or even days. A possible explanation may be that these are pregnant females looking for safe areas to calve, or mothers with calves seeking calm sheltered waters. In 1995, a single Right Whale was seen by many Sydneysiders in and around North Harbour, Middle Harbour and Manly Beach. While in August 1999 a 12-14 m female Southern Right Whale enthralled Sydney residents for a period of 21 days when it remained in and around Sydney Harbour. Its presence provided a rare opportunity for researchers to learn more about the biology of this little known species.
Late morning and early afternoon are good times to see the tell-tale 'blow' (the vapour cloud that is expelled from the blowhole when the animal breathes out), which is distinctive for each whale species. The Humpback Whale has a blow that reaches 2-3 m high and is rounded, while the Southern Right Whale has a V-shaped blow when seen from the front or back.
Other features that distinguish the two species include the very long flippers of the Humpback Whale, which can be up to one-third of the body length, the knobbly protuberances that are seen all over the head, jaws and flippers, and a low dorsal fin. The Right Whale has a 'bonnet' of white callouses on its head and has no dorsal fin.
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Copyright © Australian Museum, 2002
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