There are few more spectacular sights at sea than a monster female humpback whale nurturing her newborn calf on the migration back south.
The Humpback Highway off the Hunter's coast is now bumper-to-bumper. More than 3500 calves are born during the winter months in the warm northern waters around the Great Barrier Reef before heading south.
It's a far cry from a humpback population that dropped to an estimated 500 decades earlier due mainly to whaling practises.
Today more than 35,000 giants of the deep make the annual 10,000 kilometre round-trip.
Imagine Cruises' Frank Future said October offered prime conditions.
"I've sailed the world's seas and there is no place on the planet to interact with humpbacks off shore like Port Stephens," he said.
The migration traditionally runs until November.
IN THE NEWS:
- Newcastle lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes says managers' emails about staff redeployment 'unacceptable'
- Throwback Thursday: Relive the best moments from Dashville Skyline
- Cocaine catamaran trial: Sailor and musician Craig Lembke 'angry' about cocaine on board, court hears
- Victims say it's time for a UK-style inquiry into the Australian tainted blood scandal
- Lockout laws: New research shows Newcastle's night economy performing better than most
- Hunter MPs back NSW government plan for cameras to identify drivers using mobile phones
- Newcastle house prices up as interest rates fall to new record low after Reserve Bank announces cut
