Whales are making a splash along the Hunter coast as they migrate north for the winter.
The humpback highway is officially open for business, bringing scenes of "total joy" to onlookers.
Whales, particularly young adults, have been spotted off Port Stephens and Newcastle on their long journey to warmer waters.
The local whale-watching season launched last week.
Nelson Bay's Imagine Cruises director Frank Future said the season was off to a good start with lots of whales already in the area.
He said humpback whale populations were increasing year-on-year and there were somewhere between 40,000 and 50,000 migrating in 2026.
The whales have been feeding on krill in the Southern Ocean during the summer season, storing energy for the journey north, which covers thousands of kilometres.
Whales are mating and the females that conceived last year will give birth in warmer waters. Mr Future said possibly up to 3000 or 4000 baby humpback whales could be born this winter.
Mr Future said whale-watching season was important to the Port Stephens area.
"For me, as an environmentalist, the more people who get to personally experience that interaction with the whales are more likely to want to look after them," he said.
Mr Future said when he first started his business more than 30 years ago, when humpback populations had been decimated by whaling, boat operators would have to head north for work.
"After the Easter holidays, it all collapsed," he said.
The whale-watching season, which runs from June to October, when humpbacks head south with their babies, had changed things.
"It's been wonderful to have tourism and ecotourism all year round, I'm very happy about that," Mr Future said.
There are various whale-watching operators running in the Newcastle and Port Stephens areas, but there are also vantage points on Crown land.
On the Central Coast, take binoculars to Norah Head lighthouse, which provides elevation and wide ocean exposure.
At the Boat Harbour headland in Port Stephens, the proximity of the coastline to deep water means whales can be seen travelling close to the shoreline.
Whales have even been seen from the back of the Newcastle Ocean Baths this month.
Whale sightings are often easier earlier in the day or later in the afternoon when ocean conditions are calmer, with telltale signs such as blows, breaches or surface splashes helping draw the eye.
Binoculars can be useful from elevated viewpoints, while nearby coastal walks, rock platforms and beaches can also help keep kids engaged as families wait for whales to appear.
Lands and Property Minister Steve Kamper said the whale season was one of the NSW coastline's great natural spectacles.
"It's always impressive to see just how close these magnificent giants of the sea travel remarkably close to the shoreline," he said.
