First whale of season spotted on Humpback Highway off Sydney heads

Humpback whales heading north from Antarctica to their breeding grounds in Queensland arrived off Sydney this week.

The first breaching whale spotted of the season 2024. Picture: Rachelle Mackintosh/Whale Watching Sydney

They’re here! The first of an army 40,000 strong.

Humpback whales heading north from Antarctica to their breeding grounds in Queensland arrived off Sydney this week.

The first spotted by wildlife photographer Rachelle Mackintosh was a juvenile off the coast of Manly on Friday in his first solo migration trip on “humpback highway”.

“It seemed a little bored because it was by itself, so it came over to the boat and was very playful and interacting with us while he was waiting for more whale friends to turn up,” Ms Mackintosh said.

“He was jumping up and splashing around with his tail and he came over to the boat to have a really close look at us and say hello, which was wonderful.

Whale watchers said the animal was a young male on its first solo migration. Picture: Rachelle Mackintosh/Whale Watching Sydney

“To have such an incredible, jaw dropping migration right in the heart of Sydney, it’s a really special thing, there’s nowhere else on Earth like it.”

Between now and November more than 40,000 whales will pass by the east coast of Australia.

It’s one of the world’s greatest wildlife conservation success stories.

The whale was breaching within view from Sydney’s east coast. Picture: Rachelle Mackintosh/Whale Watching Sydney

In the early 1960s before whaling was banned there were estimated to be just 150 left.

Whale researcher Dr Vanessa Pirotta from Macquarie University said humpback whale numbers continue to increase post commercial whaling from the 1820s to 1960s, to a point where they are no longer considered endangered.

Humpback whales have repopulated so successfully they are no longer considered an endangered species.

“In Australian waters we have a western and east coast population and they have been doing very well post whaling — it’s a wonderful conservation success story,” Dr Pirotta said.

“Our blue backyard is a truly magnificent place at this time of the year when we have whales transiting along the humpback highway — it points to what an amazing part of the world we’re privileged to see every day.”

Jonas Liebschner from Whale Watching Sydney is still in awe of the largest animal on Earth even after observing them from boats for over 15 years.

“I still see things that I’ve never seen before and I still get amazed being out there on the water watching whales,” Mr Liebschner said.

“If you can imagine a 15 metre long, 45 tonne humpback whale jumping out of the water right next to the boat — it doesn’t get much better than that and it can be quite a life changing experience for people if they’ve never done it before.”
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