STATE BORDERS may be closed and road blocks are in place, but there's one highway up the east coast of Australia that has seen a welcome spike in traffic recently.
Luckily for the heavyweight haulers heading up the 'Humpback Highway' - oblivious to the COVID-19 chaos above water - there are no coronavirus restrictions in place for the 30,000 whales travelling north for their annual summer getaway in the Pacific.
From late autumn to early spring, thousands of whales - from humpbacks to southern rights - migrate north to their subtropical breeding grounds off the Queensland coast and have already been spotted off the Victorian and NSW coast.
In Victoria, photographer Bob McPherson recently snapped shots of a rare southern right whale calf in Portland waters.
Mr McPherson, who has been taking whale photos for about 27 years, said the newborn calf was spotted alongside its mother on July 8.
"It's got to be a new one, it only sprung up this morning," he told Jessica Howard from the Warrnambool Standard.
"It must have been born in the last three or four days at a guess. It's pretty unique as it seems early in the season for a calf to be born."
Mr McPherson said the calf appeared to be "small and young".
"It's just amazing and is, I guess, a sign of what we have all been looking for," he said.
Volunteer-based group Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans (ORRCA) runs an annual whale census on the last Sunday in June, with hundreds of people flocking to headlands up the East Coast to spot, and count, whales.
ORRCA vice president Jools Farrelll said while the initial figures indicated the number of whales spotted migrating north could be slightly down on this time year, there was no need for alarm.
"The whales are out there, you've just got to be patient and keep looking," she said.
The ORRCA census took place on June 28, when Ms Farrell said, the conditions weren't good, visibility was bad and also not as many people were out spotting due to COVID-19 and social distancing regulations.
"We also suspect that the whales may be further out to sea, and harder to spot. They tend to do this on the northern migration, when the older whales will go out wider.
"Then on the southern migration, they tend to have more calves with them and will hug the coast to suckle and nurse their babies. They may also have bulls as 'escorts', to protect the mothers and their young from predators."
She said the best tip for whale spotting is to do it from a headland, rather than a beach, and to not be rushed. "You can look further and may see blows or breaching from there - but remember it takes time."
She also said don't be put off by a bit of wind and rain. "Humpbacks tend to enjoy rough weather and you will often see them being a lot more active, but it is also harder to spot their blows."
Other whales you may spot heading north include the southern right whale, the minke and even the solitary Bryde's whale (pronounced 'broodus') which comes from the sub-Antarctic region.
"While it's mainly humpbacks, you may also see minkes - which are smaller and harder to spot - and the occasional southern right coming up from the Great Australian Bight.
Southern rights are larger than humpbacks and nearly black, with barnacle-like lumps called callosities under their head. They also don't have a dorsal fin.
"They are not acrobatic atall, and sometimes do what's referred to as 'logging' where they'll just float along. Some people think this in when the whale is in trouble, but they're not," said Ms Farrell.
"That being said, we still urge anyone who is concerned about a whale or seal to call and report it to ORRCA, even if it's a false alarm."
You can report mammal sightings and incidents to ORRCA on (02) 9415-3333 or visit www.orrca.org.au
On the whale trail in NSW
Visit these seaside vantage points along the NSW coast for a front-row seat as the whales embark on their journey.
Up North
Spot whales from Cape Byron, Australia's most easterly point, and on small cruise tours like Whale Watching Byron Bay and Blue Bay Whale Watching. Local kayaking companies will take you out on the water to see the mammals up close, or head to Ballina Head Lookout for panoramic views of the ocean and passing whales.
Swimming with humpback whales is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and Jetty Dive in Coffs Harbour runs tours where you can swim alongside a pod of whales. Further south, Port Macquarie's 9km Coastal Walk is dotted with stunning vantage points for whale spotting. You can also cruise on Port Jet Cruise Adventures' Wave Rider, one of the fastest commercial whale-watching boats around.
Whales in the City
Closer to the city, watch whales from the lookouts at Sydney Harbour's North and South Head. For on-the-water experiences, Go Whale Watching Sydney, Captain Cook Cruises, Fantasea Cruising and Manly Ocean Adventures are some of many whale-watching cruises that leave from Circular Quay, Darling Harbour and Manly.
Down South
To see newborn whale calves frolicking with their mothers, Jervis Bay is a top spot. It's about halfway along the migration, so they often stop to rest and play. Swim with whales and seals on a tour with Dive Jervis Bay or jump on a cruise with Jervis Bay Wild. If you prefer to stay dry, there's a viewing platform in Booderee National Park. Travel further south to Eden - a whale-watching hub. Whales and their calves often rest in Twofold Bay before their final leg back.
ORRCAs whale watching tips
- Sighting whales and dolphins in the wild is difficult due to the fact that they spend so little time at the surface. Unless they are resting, feeding or breaching there will be only fleeting glimpses of the animals when they surface to breathe.
- Any headland which provides a good view (preferably 180) of the ocean is definitely worth a visit.
- As the whale migration peaks in mid-winter, warm clothing is essential and it doesn't hurt to be prepared for rain!
- An early morning start at about 7:30 am is ideal as it is usually calm at this hour i.e. little or no wind. It is easier to see the blow against a backdrop of calm sea and "get your eye in" for the rest of the day. Be aware that at this hour you will be looking directly into the sun so don't forget to pack your sunglasses.
- A pair of binoculars is a must, and remember to take plenty of food and drink. Also don't forget sun protection.
- You are better off scanning the ocean for whales with the naked eye and then using binoculars once you have located an animal. Prolonged viewing of the ocean through binoculars can cause headaches and some people even develop a type of motion sickness after a time.
- Your initial clue as to the presence of a whale is usually the blow - a column of vapour formed above the whale's head as it exhales. An animal may blow once, twice or several times between dives.
- Sometimes the first thing you see may be a large, dark shape on the surface or even a huge splash as an animal breaches (leaps clear of the water) or indulges in some other form of display.
- Whales can also leave footprints. These are smooth, circular patches of water caused by the up-and-down movement of an animal's tail flukes. Sometimes they appear just before a whale surfaces and sometimes they appear after. Either way they signify the presence of a whale swimming close to the surface and are worth tracking.
- Be careful if you are on a headland, stay behind the barriers and don't venture out on to rocky outcrops.
You can also find out more about whale watching in NSW at www.wildaboutwhales.com.au