Gold Coast tourism: Whale Watching 2020 season kicks off as operators reveal best spots
The 2020 whale watching season is in full swing with hundreds passing each day. Here’s the best spots on the Gold Coast to catch a glimpse of these gorgeous creatures.
Gold Coast
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WHALES are passing the Gold Coast in record numbers as social distancing restrictions lift and eager watchers head back to their boats.
More than 20,000 whales are expected to pass along the Eastern coast in search of warmer waters in the coming weeks, with whale watching season officially started last Saturday.
SeaWorld Cruises brand manager Lauren Horner said the large numbers could be spotted in the north and south of the city.
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“The migration also started early (this year) so we’ve got loads and loads of whales out in the ocean at the moment,” she said.
“Most of those are subadults (not fully grown), which is the cohort that tends to come through first, so that’s pretty typical of what we’d expect.”
Environmental group Humpbacks and High-rises’ Dr Olaf Meynecke said the group was still unable to go out on boats but would be running a land-based survey in Burleigh Heads.
“Since Monday the number of whales sighted per hour has drastically increased and we are seeing now a wave of whales migrating along the Gold Coast and some coming closer to the shore as well,” he said.
“However the majority is travelling further offshore in about 10km distance.
“We are now observing 5 to 8 whales per hour which gives us between 120 to 200 whales per day. We are expecting the peak of the northern migration in the next few weeks.”
TOP SPOTS FOR WHALE WATCHING
1. Point Danger, Tweed
2. Burleigh Hill, Burleigh Heads
3. Miami Hill, Miami
4. Greenmount Beach, Coolangatta
5. Kirra Hill, McLean St, Kirra
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