It's called the Humpback Highway - the long stretch of nearly 10,000 kilometres of NSW coastline along which more than 35,000 whales swim from May to November, bound for warmer northern waters.
The humpbacks typically begin the annual migration, followed from southern right whales from October onwards, sometimes accompanied by blue, minke and sperm whales.
At the other end of the long swim north lies the Great Barrier Reef, where more than 3500 calves are born each year.
Newcastle Herald photographer Jonathan Carroll captured a spectacular display of dorsal fins and stark-white tails off Boat Harbour yesterday as some of the first whales passed by the Hunter coast.
Port Stephens is one of the prime locations on the east coast to see whales in action, either from the water or land, making the creatures an important driver of visitation, particularly in the cooler months, to the region.
