Go Back  

Point Lookout, Stradbroke Island Humpback Highway!

In 2010, University of Queensland researchers spent 3 months on the rocky headlands of Point Lookout counting the migrating Humpback Whales as they passed by Queensland's most easterly point. In the process they counted, and in some cases identified, over 4000 Humpbacks on their winter migration north.

With deep water just off the coast and gentler bays including Frenchmans and the Home Beach area on Straddie, the whales often pass very close by much to the amazement of the many visitors to Stradbroke Island.

The rocky cliffs of Point lookout rise some 35m above sea level, and from this vantage point you can see up to 18k out to sea in clear weather.

This is what you are looking for:

You can see the difference quite clearly with the distinctive "Humpback" rising and curling over as the whale preapres to dive. The height of the "blow' is also distinctively Humpback as a large puff is exhaled. The massive Blue Whale is seen infrequently around the waters of North Stradbroke Island.

About Humpback Whales:

• The humpback whale takes its name from the habit of breaking the water surface with a large area of its back when diving.

• Approximately 3,000 Humpback whales will migrate this season between Antarctica and the Great Barrier Reef

• Humpbacks are still the third most endangered species of all the big whales, but now their numbers are increasing 13% each year.

• They are the fifth largest animal on this planet, growing up to 15 metres in length with a weight of up to 45,000kg (99,000lbs) - equivalent to 11 elephants or 600 persons each!

• The Blue Whale seen occasionally is the largest animal to ever exist on earth.

• Humpbacks are the most acrobatic of all of the great whale, tail and flipper slapping and breaching regularly and clearly visible of Point Lookout.

• The species displays a wide variety of leaping, rolling and breaching movements which provide fascinating viewing for whale watchers from the North Gorge and the whale watching platforms above Frenchman's Beach.

• The humpback whale is also well known for its complex underwater vocalisations or whale songs particularly during breeding.

• Adult whales have been seen to breach 20 - 30 times within 5 minutes, displaying awesome grace and power.