How to avoid a collision with a whale

Each year at the start of winter, a mass migration takes place along the Australian coastline as whales head north from the rich feeding grounds of the Antarctic to warmer tropical waters.

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Unusually, this year there are around 35,000 whales believed to be taking part in the migration, a record number. Given that the whales tend to hug both the eastern and western Australian coastline, the risk of colliding with one – especially this year – is high.

Officially, when a boat hits a whale it is known as a “collision with a cetacean”. They tend to happen more times than you think, although in most instances it is the boat hitting the whale.

Sometimes, though, it happens the other way around. And when it does, the result can be a little scary.

Australia’s north-bound whale superhighway opens from around late May, and reverses in around November as the whales make their way back south, usually with calves in tow.

The species of whale can vary widely. Australia’s humpback whale population has grown from around 200 in the early 20th Century before commercial whaling was banned to an estimated 65,000.

Other species of whale making the migration off Australia include blue whales – the largest animal on the planet – and southern right whales, both endangered species.

You can also expect to see humpback, sei and fin whales in Australian waters. These species are all considered vulnerable.

There are strict rules around how close you can get to a whale, but sometimes they’re difficult to avoid.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority recommends boaters do the following when moving through waters on a known whale migration route:

By law, boaters need to report a collision with a whale to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority within seven days of the incident taking place, even if the contact is unavoidable.