Whales killed in hundreds off the Gold Coast beaches 50 years ago
Whales killed once in their hundreds but today we can watch these amazing animals as they play in the ocean off Surfers Paradise.
Moorings on Cavill offer whales watching special accommodation deals.
There is always a chance to see Migaloo the white albino humpback whale.
In 1963 the hunting of humpbacks was banned in Australian waters. There was only 200 left alive. Today over 5000 whales swim past Surfers Paradise beach on their way north to breed. They return months later with their baby whales.
The Eastern Australian humpback population has now recovered. Whale watching cruises attract over 100,000 people every year. To see the whales stay at Moorings on Cavill #1 Trip Advisor accommodation in Surfers Paradise
Once fleets of ships from Europe and America hunted whales around the Great Barrier Reef.Sperm whales provided the best oil and humpbacks were used in clothing and for the springs of coaches. The whale blubber was used as oil for lighting in homes.
Thousands of whales were killed on the Great Barrier Reef by foreign whale ships from the 1790s through to the 1900s. Many whaling ships were wrecked on the Barrier Reef.
The Tangalooma whaling station operated from 1952 until 1962. During this time they killed and processed over 6000 humpback whales. The humpback whales migrated along the coast in winter and the processing factory operated 24 hours a day with a staff of 140 people.
When the station began the whales killed in the Australian humpbacks number was estimated at over 10,000. In the last years of operation due to a massive reduction in whales it was uneconomic to continue with only 200 alive.
Powered boats were used to chase the whales and often guided by a spotter plane. The whales were then shot and killed with explosive harpoon heads. The whales killed were filled with compressed air and towed back to Tangalooma for processing. The whale blubber was put into it into pressure cookers and oil was extracted.
The purified whale oil was sold for use in margarine and other food products. The rest of the whale was ground into a meal for livestock food and the bones used in the fashion industry.
Today whale watching is a fascinating pastime.
Whale watching boats full of visitors come to the Gold Coast to see the whales play. Take a short walk to Surfers Paradise beach from the Moorings on Cavill holiday apartments to see the whales from the beach.
Stay at Moorings on Cavill where we can give you the best advice about whale watching cruises and special whale watching accommodation deal