Whale Watching Byron Bay

We’ve already had the first whale sighting of the 2014 Humpback migration and so begins the season for whale watching Byron Bay.

You may see whales jumping, breaching, spouting and frolicking as you walk along any of the beaches in Byron Shire but the best lookout is from atop the Byron Lighthouse. There are many tours available by boat, diving and kayaking if you want to get closer. However, letting these majestic cetaceans pass our shores in peace is always a priority.

Our love and protection of whales is a far cry from the days when Byron Bay was a whaling station and many were slaughtered on our shores. Today we strive to understand them better and studies by Southern Cross University researchers have made great strides. The Oceania Project and Cape Byron Whale Research Project are long-term studies using cutting edge technology in collaboration with other Northern New South Wales (no pun intended) coastal habitats, the Great Barrier Reef and the South Pacific.

One project spearheaded by local researchers uses photos of whales and a computerised humpback whale fluke matching program ‘Fluke Matcher’ to identify and track the whales’ movements.

Whether your interest in whales is aesthetic, scientific or spiritual, Byron Bay is a wonderful place to gain an appreciation for these magnificent creatures.

by Ed Silk Byron Bay

mob: 0418 660 063
tel: 02 6680 8668