Swim with humpback whales off coast of Brunswick Heads and Byron Bay

ANYONE wanting to run humpback encounter tours is going to be faced with a whale-sized problem. But this operator is determined to run ‘whale swims’ in our backyard.

ANYONE wanting to run humpback encounter tours is going to be faced with a whale-sized problem.

But Byron Shire photographer and Get Down Whale Watching tour operator Scott Wilson is determined he can do it.

He has three years experience running whale swim tours in Tonga and is running whale swims off the coast of Byron Bay and Brunswick Heads.

Whale swims are already offered on the Sunshine Coast and in Western Australia and Mr Wilson said there was no reason it wouldn’t work in Northern NSW, having completed two trial tours last week.

Swim with humpback whales

VIEW GALLERY

“The whales are curious, they come over to you,” Mr Wilson said.

“They choose if they want to swim with us, we don’t determine that.

“I run small group tours that are not intimidating to marine animals ... It is about a quality experience, not quantity.”

But Gold Coast whale tour operators believe strict rules and regulations create too many issues to make it viable.

Byron Shire local Scott Wilson from Get Down Whale Watching has successfully completed a trial run of swimming with humpback whales off the Brunswick Heads/Byron Bay coast. He has been running swim trips to Tonga for three years. Photo: Scott Wilson

In NSW the office of Environment and Heritage states; a person must not enter water within 100m of a whale, if any whale comes within 30m of a person the person must move slowly to avoid startling it, and must not touch it or move towards it and that swimming with whales is not a licensed activity in NSW, unless the operation occurs within a marine park.

Mr Wilson said he followed the guidelines, but admitted there seemed to be some “grey areas”.

Sea World marine sciences director Trevor Long told the Gold Coast Bulletin he was supportive of the venture provided the strict guidelines in place were followed.

Scott Wilson is pictured with his partner and daughter, Kristina Aitchison and Leilani Wilson, 10 (right). Photo: Scott Wilson

“I don’t have a problem with it, provided it is regulated,” he said.

“The whales always have a choice about whether they stay.”

He said the encounters would likely give people “a greater desire” to protect humpback whales.

Surfers Paradise-based tour group Whales In Paradise owner Anthony Ardern and Gold Coast Whale Adventures boss Bruce Nicholls believe it would be a tourism boon if he could make it work.

“We have done a few trips out looking at it, but there is only a 25 to 40 per cent success rate ... I wish him all the best of luck,” Mr Ardern said.

Byron Shire local Scott Wilson from Get Down Whale Watching has successfully completed a trial run of swimming with humpback whales off the Brunswick Heads/Byron Bay coast. He has been running swim trips to Tonga for three years. Photo: Scott Wilson

Spirit of Gold Coast Whale Watching spokeswoman Michele de Bianco said: “Safety of both whales and passengers is of the utmost importance.

“We believe that more research needs to be carried out to ensure that it is practised safely.”

The cost of the Get Down Whale Watching whale swim tour is $150.