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Thursday, June 19, 2014

Whales check in to Sydney Harbour National Park

The highly anticipated whale season is one of nature’s most spectacular sights and 2014 is tipped to be particularly special, with experts predicting between 16,000 and 18,000 whales to pass the NSW coastline over the coming months.

The official whale season runs from 1 June to 30 November, and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is encouraging people to visit the state’s spectacular coastal national parks to catch the whale action.

NSW’s coastal parks are an affordable way to experience the whales enjoying their natural playground while also offering visitors a range of land-based nature activities to take advantage of.unnamed (7)
As well as whale watching, there are an array of activities to experience in coastal national parks, such as bushwalking, photography and guided Discovery activities.

To celebrate the arrival of the whales, NPWS has created a series of accommodation deals and guided Discovery activities that can be found at www.wildaboutwhales.com.au
Sydney Harbour National Park has already been visited by early migrating whales and it is expected that the majority will pass through the area between the end of June and start of July.

NPWS recommends the top five vantage points to see the action in Sydney Harbour National Park:

1. North Head lookout - provides views across Sydney Harbour National Park towards South Head and is one of the best spots for Sydney whale watching. Head to Fairfax Lookout for sweeping Harbour panoramas and whale spotting.

2. Hornby Lighthouse - Historic Hornby Lighthouse is near Watsons Bay in Sydney Harbour National Park. Walk the easy track to the lighthouse for great whale watching.

3. Arabanoo Lookout – Located at Dobroyd Head in Sydney Harbour National Park, Arabanoo offers fantastic views over to North Head and South Head and the expansive Pacific Ocean beyond, making it a perfect spot for whale watching.

4. South Head - There’s no shortage of lookouts at South Head in Sydney Harbour National Park. The Gap offers some of Sydney's finest views and fantastic opportunities for whale watching.

5. Shark Island With its lush grassy areas, picnic shelters and spacious gazebo and amazing 360° views, the island is a great vantage point to spot whales popping into the Harbour during the migration season.

Visitors can also log their whale sightings from NSW’s national parks via the Wild about Whales smartphone app. The app provides a map of the latest whale sightings and allows visitors to log their own sightings and contains information about different whale species, tips for spotting whales, and tours to help make the most of coastal adventure in NSW’s national parks.

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The Expeditionist

The Expeditionist
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