Tourist group treated to historic and rare moment off Aussie coast: 'Amazing experience'
The group, aboard a Sea World whale watching vessel, managed to witness the moment a humpback whale gave birth in waters off the Gold Coast, just outside The Spit seaway, on Monday morning.
Humpback whales are currently migrating north along Australia's east coast to breed in warmer waters. The annual journey typically takes place between May and August, with peak activity occurring in June and July. During this time, they travel from their feeding grounds in Antarctic waters to tropical regions, such as the Great Barrier Reef, where they mate and give birth.
Queensland's coastline is a prime location to witness this migration, with whales often swimming close to the shoreline, making them visible from numerous vantage points. This phenomenon is sometimes referred to as the "humpback highway" due to the large number of whales — expected to exceed 40,000 this year — passing by.
Researchers say Monday's incredible sighting marks a significant milestone for the scientific community and will be published, with the experience marking the first documented humpback birth in the area.
Gold Coast Newborn Calf Study founding researcher Laura Torr said it had long been suspected that the whales gave birth there, but after this week there is now concrete proof.
"We can now confidently say the Gold Coast is a birthing area as well as a calf-care area," she told 7News. "We witnessed a placenta detach from the mother, which means she had given birth just before the boat arrived that morning."
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Crew member Georgia Roberts recalled the extraordinary moment the baby whale first emerged on Monday. "When the mum rolled and showed us her belly, we saw a lot of blood on her body," she said. "We actually realised the placenta had floated to the surface and we all got an amazing look at it."
Georgia said it was "super cool, being there to witness it firsthand", branding the encounter "one of the most amazing experiences".
The heartwarming moment comes as Australians continue to enjoy spotting humpbacks along the east coast, with several ultra-rare albino calves even being documented recently.
In June, a one was spotted off the Queensland coast near K'gari, sparking major excitement.
That same month, another albino calf was photographed gliding through the waves beside its mother on the NSW Mid North Coast. A white whale hadn't been spotted in the state's waters for years, with the last notable example being Migaloo, the famous albino humpback.
It's prompted speculation over whether he's still out there. Western Australian woman Tris, based in Tonga, is among those who believe he could still be out there. Recently recalling her experience with albino calves in Ha'apai, she said, "he had a long breeding history, so he may have fathered the calves we're now seeing."
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