Group of 30 pilot whales trapped in Macquarie Harbour ‘rounded up like sheep’ and guided to safety by salmon farmers

Macquarie Harbour salmon farm workers on Tasmania’s West Coast have been declared heroes after they helped guide more than 30 whales to safety.

Rescuers who herded stranded pilot whales out of shallow waters on Tasmania’s West Coast have described the delicate operation to save the marine creatures, most of which were herded to safety.

After the whales started to venture toward the coastline at Macquarie Harbour on Sunday, rescue efforts began to guide them away from the shore.

On Monday, 25 whales had been led out of Macquarie Harbour, but four could not be saved: one inside the harbour and three on a remote section of ocean beach.

Four pilot whales dead after a group of whales were stuck in the fresh waters of Macquarie Harbour on November 3. Picture: NRE Tas

Petuna Aquaculture operations manager Wayne McDermott was one of the rescuers who guided the marine animals out of the harbour.

“We got a call from someone who worked on the cruise boat, there were some whales about to strand near the Yellow Bluff,” he said.

“When we got there, they were in 2.5 metres of water, they were starting to lift their bodies out of the water.

“They went straight up on the rocks and started beaching themselves.

“Probably the first half of the pod followed up on the rocks, the other half didn’t have enough room to get up there.”

Mr McDermott said most of the whales came off the rocks.

“I came round with a vessel and broke in between them, I pushed them back out into the channel, into 5 metres, 7 metres water,” he said.

“We pressured them to the centre, thankfully the tides took them out.

“The tide was in our favour, heading out to Hell’s Gates.”

Four pilot whales dead after a group of whales were stuck in the fresh waters of Macquarie Harbour on November 3. Picture: NRE Tas

But it wasn’t a happy ending for all of the whales.

“One of them didn’t get off the rocks when he beached, I sat with him for a while, he didn’t make it,” Mr McDermott said

“It’s always a bit heartbreaking, a bit disheartening.

“We just had to do what we could to get as many out.”

Mr McDermott said it wasn’t the first time he’d seen pilot whales become stranded. During the 2022 stranding he was also involved in rescue efforts, and in 2020 he had the grim task of removing deceased whales from the harbour.

“You get a bit of an understanding for the whales and how they react, how they communicate,” he said.

Boat helps shepherd group of pilot whales lost in Macquarie Harbour. Picture supplied: Petuna

“They definitely followed the leader, when they beached themselves … You guide the lead one on the straight and narrow, the rest will follow.”

World Heritage Cruise skipper Riley Grining also assisted with the rescue.

He said over his 29 years of life around the family business, he had never seen whales in the fresh waters of Macquarie Harbour.

“I’ve seen 5 or 6 mass strandings here, it’s Tasmania’s largest ocean beach, we see them quite frequently here … But I’ve never seen them in the channel and never participated in rounding them up like sheep,” he said.

Samples of the whales will be collected by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, with hopes to gain an understanding of why the species strand.

An aerial inspection has indicated the are no more pods stranded around Macquarie Harbour.

Those who see stranded whales are urged to keep their distance from the animals and report sightings to the whale hotline on 0427 942 537

Group of pilot whales stranded at Macquarie Harbour, two years after similar event

EARLIER: A group stranding of four whales has occurred at Macquarie Harbour near Strahan on Tasmania’s west coast, two years since a similar event in the area.

In a statement, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRE Tas) said the whales, which appeared to be pilot whales, are stranded on a remote section of beach at Macquarie Harbour.

Environment Minister Madeleine Ogilvie said wildlife experts were on the scene evaluating the situation and thanked the teams involved for their work.

“I want to thank the capable Tasmanians who are on the ground working hard to assist these beautiful creatures,” Ms Ogilvie said.

“It is a testament to everyone’s support.”

The harbour is the site of Australia’s worst mass whale stranding on record, which occurred four years ago, on September 21.

Aerial view of a mass whale stranding near Macquarie Heads on September 21, 2022 at Strahan, Australia. Hundreds of whales pilot have become stranded at Macquarie Harbour on Tasmania's West Coast in a mass stranding event. (Photo by NRE Tas via Getty Images)

Two years later to the day, an additional mass stranding of about 230 whales occurred at the site.

Ms Ogilvie urged well-meaning members of the public to stay clear.

“It is important for people in the area to please remain vigilant, keep their distance, and report sightings of free-swimming or stranded whales and dolphins to the whale hotline on 0427 WHALES,” she said.