After a summer of feeding on up to 4 tonnes of krill in nutrient-rich chilly Antarctic waters, more than 20,000 Humpback Whales migrate north to the sub-tropical waters of East Coast Australia. They head to the warm waters of the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef, to mate and give birth. The east coast migration is one of the longest migratory journeys of any mammal on Earth – up to 10,000 km round trip! Our Humpback Migration Guide will help you make the most of one of the most incredible shows on earth…

To get the full low down on the east coast migration, check out our online course.

When to Watch the Humpback Migration

The exact timing of the humpback migration can vary slightly from year to year but generally the whales can be easily seen off the East Coast at the following times:

May – Aug             Migrating north (generally 5-10km from the coast)

Sept – Nov            Migrating back South (often with new-born calves)

This map highlights some of the best whale watching lookouts on the east coast.

Tip: The whales are normally easier to see migrating south as they tend to travel closer to shore, protecting their calves from predators.

Check out our Humpback Whale Migration Calendar for more details…

Time of Day

Morning – Calm morning waters make easy viewing, before the wind picks up.

Evening – Sunsets make for spectacular whale watching as the changing light highlights the action.

Where to Watch 

The humpback’s spectacular acrobatic displays are often easily observed from the beach or land-based lookouts – so everyone gets the chance to watch for free!!

Best Whale Watching on the Sunshine Coast

The best whale watching on the Sunshine Coast can be observed from…

• Coolum: Point Perry or Point Arkwright, Coolum
• Kawana: Point Cartwright
• Moffat Beach Headland
• Noosa: Hells Gate, Noosa National Park
• Alexandra Headland

Queensland Whale Watching by Boat 

Our favorite places to go whale watching by boat…

-Mooloolaba

-Hervey Bay: about a quarter of humpbacks enter Hervey Bay

-Whitsundays

-Great Barrier Reef

Best Whale Watching near Brisbane

In our opinion, the best whale watching near Brisbane is from…

• North Stradbroke Island – Point Lookout

Whale Watching Tips

Here are our whale watching tips – to ensure you get the most from your experience

• Be respectful and mindful – follow 100 meter distance regulations
• Take binoculars
• Take a copy of our Identifying Humpbacks guide so you know what you’re looking for
• Get up high for a better view
• Be patient
• Get educated so you can impress your friends with the facts!

Don’t forget to look out for East Coast Australia’s most famous white humpback whale. It’s Aboriginal name is ‘Migaloo’ or ‘white fella’.

Why We Need Whales

Whales are essential to the marine eco-system and therefore to us. They help to keep our oceans healthy. As we get up to 70% of our oxygen from the sea, we need it to be healthy enough to produce that oxygen, else we humans can’t survive!

5 Ways You Can Protect Whales

1. Educate yourself & your friends
2. Whale watch with a responsible company & keep 100 metres away
3. Report sick or injured animals
4. Reduce plastic usage & do not litter
5. Support a whale charity:

Whale & Dolphin Conservation
Marine Conservation
Sea Shepherd
Humpbacks & Highrises

To get educated about the humpback migration and why we need to protect whales, why not check out our online course for kids

Interested in other courses for kids? Check out our Amazing Sharks Course

The post Humpback Whale Migration Guide appeared first on Ocean Life Education.

Each year, from May, around 50,000 Humpback Whales migrate from their feeding grounds in the chilly waters of the Antarctic, to warmer waters off Australia’s East and West Coast to birth and mate. The migration can easily be seen from the coast and the acrobatic whales make awesome viewing. So, we decided to create some inspirational humpback migration teaching resources to engage students and to celebrate the arrival of the whales!

Curriculum Humpback Whale Teaching Resources

These image-based humpback whale teaching resources are designed to assist in teaching curriculum themes such as human impact, habitats, adaptation, and classification, using an iconic and topical subject. Resources include downloadable videos, infographics, fact sheets, maps, a migration calendar, presentation, activities and more.

Humpback Whale Topics Covered

• Humpback Migration Route
• Humpback Habitats
• Humpback Fast Facts
• Adaptations & Anatomy
• Humpback Classification
• Humpback v Toothed Whale & Food Webs
• Humpback Reproduction
• Why We Need Whales – The Whale Pump
• Human Impact
• How to Help Protect Whales

A Sample of our Humpback Whale Teaching Resources

Migration Route Map – detailing how the whales travel up the West & East Coast

Food Webs – baleen versus toothed whales

The Whale Pump – how whales help us breath

Activity – The Plastic Ocean Cycle

Humpback Whale Videos

We have used impressive humpback whale videos featuring whales being whales! We put the videos to music that should bring a smile to student’s faces!

Educating Students to Protect

We believe that educating students is the best way to inspire them to want to protect the ocean and marine life. The resources pack closes with a section on how students can protect humpback whales.

5 Ways You Can Protect Humpback Whales

1. Educate yourself & your friends
2. Whale watch with a responsible company & keep 100 metres away
3. Report sick or injured animals
4. Reduce plastic usage & do not litter
5. Support a whale charity:

Whale & Dolphin Conservation au.whales.org/

Marine Conservation marineconservation.org.au/whaling/

Sea Shepherd seashepherd.org.au/

Humpback & High Rises hhr.org.au/

Resources & Courses

The post Humpback Whale Teaching Resources appeared first on Ocean Life Education.