Golden Age: Momentum grows for Humpbacks and High-rises festival as Whale populations sore to 32,000

A NEW winter Gold Coast festival celebrating the annual migration of humpback whales could be on the way. And it has the backing of a leading tourism boss. HERE’S WHAT THEY HAVE PLANNED.

STATE Tourism Minister Kate Jones has backed calls from leading whale-watching operators and researchers for a new festival celebrating the annual humpback migration on the Gold Coast.

Griffith University whale researcher and co-founder of volunteer group Humpbacks and High-rises Dr Jan-Olaf Meynecke said the city should be celebrated as the “number one spot” to view the massive mammals in Australia.

Spirit of the Gold Coast captured images of these humpback whales off the Gold Coast yesterday PHOTO: Spirit of the Gold Coast

It comes as an estimated 32,000 whales will travel past the Glitter Strip this year, with the whale population continuing to grow after almost being hunted to extinction last century.

Dr Meynecke said the introduction of a two-day or week-long festival promoting the creatures and designated observation platforms along the coast would be a tourism drawcard like similar events in Byron Bay and Hervey Bay.

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Dr Meynecke said a festival could be held during the peak whale watching period in August — when whales are travelling both north and south past the coast — and would benefit fledging whale watching operators because larger companies often book out during those weeks.

Whales at play off Coast

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“The Gold Coast is the number one spot for whale watching in the country,” Dr Meynecke said.

“We have 80,000 to 100,000 people coming to whale watch per season.

“Stopping the hunting of whales and protecting them is a success story we need to tell.”

Marine biologist and researcher Dr Olaf Meynecke.

Sea World Whale Watch general manager David Robertson said a festival would be a boon to the city and there was merit in installing lookouts instructing visitors and tourists how to spot whales.

He said the Gold Coast is an ideal spot because the vast majority of the whales were “funnelled” towards the city as they travelled around Cape Bryon and Point Danger, with many swimming within 2km of the coastline.

“I fully support it, even viewing platforms along the coast,” Mr Robertson said.

“It’s phenomenal how so many whales travel past the city, when they turn the corner at Byron Bay and around Point Danger they’re all funnelled right past the coast.”

But he said the industry needed to be united to support the festival.

“We need to be cooperative, which is what they have done in Hervey Bay,” Mr Robertson said.

Spirit of Gold Coast spokeswoman Angela Del Bianco welcomed the opportunity to celebrate the whales.

Minister Jones said she supported the calls for an annual festival.

“The latest industry research tells us today’s tourists are looking for unique experiences. They want to experience something they can’t get anywhere else,” Ms Jones said.

“That’s why it makes sense for the tourism industry to get behind an annual festival to celebrate the whale watching season on the Gold Coast.”

A Destination Gold Coast spokesman said the organisation was interested in exploring the idea of a festival — as long as it was bigger and better than any other festival in Australia.

“The more people who know how accessible whale watching is on the Gold Coast, the better,” the spokesman said.

Spirit of the Gold Coast captured images of these Humpback whales off the Gold Coast yesterday. PHOTO: Spirit of the Gold Coast

“There are other whale festivals in Australia though — at Eden, Phillip Island, Sydney and Hervey Bay, to name a few — so what we do on the Gold Coast would have to be bigger and better. But it is an idea worth exploring.

“Perhaps there is a way to also advantage of our ocean-facing high-rises as perfect whale-spotting platforms during the migration season.”