The first whales of the year have been spotted off the Hunter coastline as a "bumper season" is predicted for keen watchers.
About 40,000 humpback whales are set to make their annual migration through the winter months from Antarctica to warmer northern waters.
Frank Future from Port Stephens whale discovery tour business Imagine Cruises said more and more of the mammals were coming through each day, with the mothers and calves heading up first and the adults to move through after.
"I've been whale watching for 27 years and we're seeing more and more regularly," he said. "There was about 1000-1500 then and now there's about 40,000. We're in for a bumper season.
"When I first started winter was the most difficult time for tour operators, but the whales have created an all year round tourism industry."
Whales cover about 10,000km during their annual round trip at a migratory speed of about 6km/h.
