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Lisianna Holiday Apartments Hervey Bay

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Seashell Lodge Holiday House Fraser Island

• More Humpback Whale Information:

• The annual winter migration of the mighty humpback whale is a time to celebrate these magnificent creatures of the sea. There is no better place to experience their antics and their awesome size than close up on a whale watching cruise in the protected waters of Hervey Bay.

• Pods of humpback whales seek out the haven of Hervey Bay's calm seas - a holiday before their long journey back to the Antarctic. It's the ideal time for visitors to also get into the holiday spirit and do as the humpbacks do ... take a break and enjoy Hervey Bay and the Fraser Coast.

• Fraser Coast, known for its natural attractions, seaside resorts and abundant wildlife, has a very special appeal during the months from August into November when the humpback whales make heir annual visit. Out in the protected calm waters of Platypus Bay, between the mainland resort of Hervey Bay and idyllic World Heritage listed Fraser Island, pods of humpbacks can be seen swimming and frolicking as they take a 'holiday' from their long journey.

• The whales migrate each year at this time, leaving the chilly seas of the Antarctic for the tropical waters off Queensland to breed or give birth. On their return journey many of the whales seek out their special playground off the Fraser Coast to rest and give time for the new whale calves to gain strength before starting the long passage south to the feeding grounds of the Antarctic. Seeing the whales during this time of recreation in a calm water environment instead of in transit out at sea has made Hervey Bay and the Fraser Coast the ideal place to go whale watching.

• A fleet of launches, catamarans and sailing, yachts provides a selection of whale watching tours, setting sail from the Great Sandy Straits Marina at Urangan Boat Harbour with a choice of morning, afternoon, half or full day tours. All have informative commentary with marine interpretation and provide refreshments and lunch depending on the time of tours.

• Whale numbers have been growing with each passing year and whale watch tours are virtually assured of sightings.

• Operators work to a strict code of conduct to avoid getting too close to the whales but this doesn't stop some curious whales from coming up to the boats to say hello and putting on an awesome display.

• Humpbacks are one of the 'great whales' with a full grown adult weighing in around 45 tonnes and measuring between 10 and 15 metres in length. They have an appetite to match their size, consuming a massive tonne of krill daily during their feeding time in the Antarctic, surviving on their fat reserves during the migration. The calves, which weigh around a tonne at birth, quickly add to their weight by consuming a phenomenal 600 litres of milk each day. The young remain dependent on their mothers for the long swim home to the Antarctic but after a year nurturing, they gain independence.

• Despite their enormous size, humpbacks are one of the more active whales, performing a variety of behaviours from the simple 'blow' to tail slapping, waving their pectoral fins, or best of all, the spectacular 'breach', the most prized of subjects for every visitor armed with a camera. These mighty mammals lift themselves upwards out of the water with a surge of energy before falling backwards into the waves with a massive splash which can send up a plume of water almost as large as the whale itself.

• As whales are mammals and not fish they must rise to the surface to draw in the vast amounts of air they need. The blow occurs when a whale breathes out at great speed through the blow-hole on the top of the head, sending a cloud of spray into the air which is clearly visible above the waves. The subsequent descent as they arch forward and dive under the surface is the reason of their name - 'humpbacks'.

• Whales rarely travel alone, preferring instead to move in small groups known as pods. At the beginning of the season mature and young adult whales are common in these waters and as the season progresses, you are more likely to see mothers returning south with their new claves.

• Whale Watching season provides an ideal focus for a short break holiday to enjoy all of the offerings of Hervey Bay and the Fraser Coast with the guarantee you'll have a whale of a time.

• The Journey of the Whales

• At the time that hunting of the humpbacks finally ceased numbers had shrunk to little more than 500. The humpbacks now boast a population of around 4,500. Each year their migration during the winter months takes them from the feeding waters of the Antarctic north along the Australian coast to breed and give birth to new calves in the warm waters off the Whitsunday's. From mid winter they begin the trip south, many dropping at Hervey Bay before the long journey back to the Antarctic.

Humpback Whale Picture Gallery Page 3

• Whale City Butchery, Hervey Bay's largest Retail and Wholesale meat suppliers, home made style small goods, ham, and bacon etc, Torquay Butchery 419 The Esplanade, Torquay, Hervey Bay Qld 4655. "CLICK HERE" for web site!

This Web page designed, constructed and Maintained by;

George Burnett

Unit 3/ 327 The Esplanade, Scarness,

Hervey Bay Qld 4655 Australia

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