Big White Fella due to visit next week

Whitsundays Online

Updated 4.20pm Wed 26 Aug 2009
ABC News Online - Sarah Collerton - Full Story and Image

Whale of a time as Migaloo, orca spotted

Migaloo, the famous all-white whale, has been sighted off Queensland's north coast, just off Airlie Beach.

Fantasea cruises' vessel Wonder saw the famous humpback between Hardy Reef and Shute Harbour in the Whitsundays.

They stopped for 30 minutes to watch Migaloo, who is on his annual migration north to breed in warmer waters, play in the water.

Full Story and Image


Original Story

Migaloo is heading up the Queensland coast and is expected in the Whitsundays next week.

The all-white humpback was sighted off Moreton Bay this week, heading north on the migration route. Migaloo (White Fella) hasn't been seen in the Whitsundays since 2007.

Migaloo is a humpback whale who lives predominantly off the Australian east coast. What is so special about Migaloo is that he is thought to be the only albino humpback whale in the world.

Humpbacks were once hunted to the point of extinction. Since measures have been put in place to protect the species, the worldwide population has bounced back. There are now an estimated 80,000 whales in the wild. Whale watching is a very popular tourist pastime along the QLD coast between May and October.

Special legislation for Migaloo prohibits vessels from going closer than 500m and aircraft can not approach under 2000 feet.

Migaloo was name by indigenous Elders around Hervey Bay.
Image sourced from the Qld Environmental Protection Agency.
Sourced from Orato (LP Currell) and Daily Mercury (Bruce Mckean).