The public is promised a whale of a time commemorating the end of whaling in Australia, with people invited to help create the image of a 100m humpback whale on Shoal Bay Beach.
Port Stephens whale expert Frank Future says Australia was one of the first countries to ban whaling in 1973, nine years before whaling was made illegal worldwide.
“In 1973, only a few hundred humpbacks migrated up the east coast past Port Stephens but today, 40 years later, around 17,000 can be seen off our shores each winter, which is almost back to the levels after World War 2 when the population was approximately 20,000 whales,” Mr Future said.
The giant whale will be formed on Shoal Bay Beach, where whale watching attracts about 50,000 tourists and $10-million in revenue to the region every year. Families, visitors and whale lovers are welcome to attend at noon on July 3.
