A humpback whale has tried to save her lifeless calf in the waters off Fraser Island | Photos

A humpback whale’s desperate struggle to keep her newborn afloat in the waters off Fraser Island over the weekend have been captured on film.

The humpback whale mother battles to keep her calf afloat.

Heartbreaking images of a humpback whale fighting to save its newborn calf in the waters off Fraser Island have been shared as the mammals continue to make their way down the east coast of Australia on their annual migration.

Gayle Kee shot the photos from a light plane as she watched the humpback whale try to keep its calf afloat near Moon Point on Fraser Island.

But she said it was clear its battle was in vain.

“Not every tale has a happy ending,” Gayle said.

“There are literally hundreds of young humpback whales in the Bay at the moment.

“Like watching puppies and kittens playing around in the backyard, humpback calves bring great joy as you watch them interacting with their mothers.

A humpback whale mother fights for the life of her calf in the waters off Fraser Island.

“But this calf is not breathing.”

Gayle said it was devastating to watch the calf’s mother fight to save her baby.

“Time and again, the tireless mother would retrieve her newborn from the depths in the hope that a breath would be taken,” she said.

“As we flew off, she was still working to save her calf.

“We wondered how long she would continue her valiant efforts.

“Every mother can empathise with the heartbreaking loss experienced by this magnificent creature.”

The tragic fight for life isn't going to have a happy ending, despite the humpback whale's desperate fight to save her newborn calf.

Last year, during the annual migration, Gayle photographed a similar fight for life when a humpback whale mother fought to keep her calf afloat in August.

However, that battle had a happy ending, with the small whale eventually starting to move then swim on its own.

Gayle and her partner Trevor John moved to Hervey Bay in December, 2019, and have quickly fallen in love.

The heartbreaking photos tell the story as a humpback whale fights to keep her lifeless calf afloat.

They are now members of the Isis Flying Club.

The couple is renovating a child care centre in Hervey Bay.

They regularly fly over the waters of Hervey Bay and have taken hundreds of photos of humpbacks on their annual migration.