Port Macquarie whale migration

Port Macquarie's whale migration is something worth protecting

Every year, the Port Macquarie coastline becomes a front-row seat to one of Australia's great natural spectacles: the annual whale migration along the NSW coast.

From May through to November, thousands ohumpback whales travel along the coastline between their Antarctic feeding grounds and warmer northern breeding waters. For residents and visitors, whale-watching in Port Macquarie has become an important part of experiencing our coastline.

From Town Beach, Oxley Beach and surrounding headlands, a whale breaching offshore, a mother travelling with her calf or a pod moving along the coast can turn an ordinary day into an unforgettable experience.

These encounters are not something we should take for granted.

And that is why the proposed Oxley Beach ocean pool raises an important environmental question:

Could the construction and ongoing operation of an Olympic-sized pool affect the whales that travel along our coastline?

There is no evidence at this stage to say that the proposed development will cause whales to abandon Port Macquarie.

But there are legitimate questions about underwater noise, construction activity and cumulative disturbance that deserve careful investigation before work begins.

The proposed Oxley Beach ocean pool

The proposed Oxley Beach development would create a 50-metre ocean pool and associated facilities, potentially providing a significant new recreational attraction for Port Macquarie.

For many people, the project represents an exciting opportunity for swimming, fitness, recreation and tourism.

However, an important part of assessing any major coastal development is understanding its potential environmental impact — not only on the beach itself, but also on the marine environment immediately offshore.

If construction takes 12–24 months, that could mean one or two whale migration periods occurring while major construction activity is taking place at Oxley Beach.

That timeframe makes the potential impact on migrating whales particularly important to investigate.

Construction noise doesn't stop at the shoreline

When we think about construction noise, we usually think about what we hear on land.

• Heavy earthmoving equipment.

• Trucks.

• Generators.

• Drilling.

• Excavation.

• Machinery operating for hours at a time.

But sound behaves very differently underwater.

Sound travels efficiently through water, and whales rely heavily on sound to communicate, navigate and understand their surroundings.

While we love these interactions, I raise concerns on what level of impact the proposed development of Oxley Beach could have, with heavy earthmovers, trucks and generators creating persistent low-frequency rumbles that transmit efficiently into the marine environment.

The question isn't simply whether people on the beach can hear the construction.

The question is:

What can whales hear?

And what does that sound mean to them?

Piling could create another level of underwater noise

One of the issues that deserves particularly close environmental assessment is foundation construction.

If the unstable ground conditions associated with the water table require driven piles or sheet piles for foundation stability, the resulting underwater noise needs to be properly assessed.

Unlike the relatively continuous rumble of machinery, pile driving can generate extremely intense, impulsive sound.

Those sudden underwater acoustic peaks have the potential to startle or stress cetaceans, depending on the sound levels, distance, duration and individual species' response.

This is why any piling associated with the Oxley Beach ocean pool should be subject to detailed underwater acoustic modelling and marine-mammal assessment.

Important questions include:

• What type of piling will be required?

• How many piles will be installed?

• Will piles be driven or installed using a lower-noise method?

• What underwater sound levels are expected?

• How far could those sound levels travel?

• Will piling occur during the peak Port Macquarie whale migration period?

• Will independent marine-mammal observers be present?

• What will trigger a temporary stop to construction?

• Will acoustic monitoring be undertaken before, during and after piling?

These aren't unreasonable questions.

They are exactly the questions we should be asking when major construction is proposed immediately beside an active marine environment.

What happens after the ocean pool is built?

The environmental discussion shouldn't stop once construction is complete.

A large commercial-scale pool will require filtration equipment, mechanical systems and heavy-duty water pumps.

These systems can produce continuous operational noise.

A steady mechanical hum might be barely noticeable to someone standing on the beach, but underwater noise contributes to the overall acoustic environment experienced by marine animals.

That raises another question:

What will the underwater acoustic footprint of the completed Oxley Beach ocean pool actually be?

We should know the answer before the project is built, not discover it afterwards.

Why underwater noise matters to whales

Whales are highly dependent on sound.

They use acoustic information to communicate with other whales and interact with their environment. Human-generated underwater noise can interfere with these natural sounds and potentially affect marine-mammal behaviour.

High-decibel or continuous construction noise could potentially cause whales to alter their behaviour, spend less time in particular areas or move further offshore.

That does not mean that an Oxley Beach ocean pool will definitely change the migration route.

It would be irresponsible to make that claim without evidence.

But it would also be irresponsible to assume there can be no impact.

The important question is whether the proposed development could create enough disturbance to influence how whales use the coastline around Port Macquarie.

What do Australian Government whale protection guidelines say?

The Australian Government has published the Guidance on key terms within the Blue Whale Conservation Management Plan, prepared by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) and the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA). The guidance was developed specifically to assist assessment of projects where interactions with blue whales and whale habitats may occur. [dcceew.gov.au], [nopsema.gov.au]

The guidance discusses:

• anthropogenic (human-generated) underwater noise;

• migration behaviour;

• biologically important whale behaviours;

• behavioural disturbance;

• displacement; and

• precautionary management where scientific uncertainty exists. [dcceew.gov.au]

Importantly, NOPSEMA's guidance states that assessment of anthropogenic noise is not limited to seismic surveys and may apply to other noise-generating activities.

The guidance also notes that biologically important whale behaviours may occur outside currently mapped Biologically Important Areas and that adaptive management should be considered where whale presence is known or reasonably expected. [dcceew.gov.au], [nopsema.gov.au]

The purpose of raising these issues is not to suggest that Oxley Beach is a designated Blue Whale Biologically Important Area, nor to claim that the proposed ocean pool would definitely affect whales.

Rather, the question is whether excavation, piling, construction noise and long-term pump operation adjacent to a recognised whale migration coastline should be assessed using the principles outlined in the Australian Government's whale conservation guidance.

Could whales move further offshore?

This is perhaps the most important question for the Port Macquarie community.

What if the whales don't disappear?

What if they simply move further out to sea?

From an environmental perspective, that distinction might sound minor.

From a tourism perspective, it could be significant.

One of the attractions of whale watching in Port Macquarie is the opportunity to see migrating whales from land.

People come to our beaches, headlands and viewing locations specifically because whales can often be observed relatively close to shore.

If whales began spending less time near the coastline, would Port Macquarie remain as attractive a destination for whale watching?

Would visitors still travel here hoping to see a humpback whale from our coastal viewpoints?

Could whale-watching businesses and other tourism operators eventually feel the effects?

And what would it mean for residents who consider the annual whale migration part of the identity of Port Macquarie?

These questions deserve answers.

The economic value of Port Macquarie's whales

The whale migration isn't just an environmental event.

It is also part of Port Macquarie's tourism identity.

Visitors come to the Mid North Coast to experience our beaches, coastal walks, wildlife and marine environment. Whale watching adds another dimension to that experience.

The value of the whales therefore extends beyond the whales themselves.

A visitor who comes to Port Macquarie to see migrating humpbacks may also stay in local accommodation, eat at local restaurants, visit attractions and spend money throughout the community.

Protecting the quality of the whale-watching experience is therefore potentially an environmental and economic issue.

Could we accidentally push the whales away?

This is the question that should sit at the heart of the environmental discussion.

What is the risk of losing the close coastal whale encounters that make Port Macquarie such a special place to live and visit?

We don't yet know whether the Oxley Beach development would have a measurable effect on whale behaviour.

But if construction noise, piling or ongoing operational noise caused whales to spend less time close to shore, the consequences could extend beyond the immediate construction site.

The whales might still migrate past Port Macquarie.

But perhaps they would do so further offshore.

Perhaps people would see fewer whales from land.

Perhaps mothers and calves would spend less time near the coastline.

Perhaps the difference would be negligible.

We need the science and monitoring to tell us.

What about blue whales?

Much of the discussion about whale migration in Port Macquarie understandably focuses on humpback whales because they are commonly observed from the shore.

However, blue whales also migrate along the NSW coastline and are protected under the Australian Government's Blue Whale Conservation Management Plan. [dcceew.gov.au]

The purpose of mentioning blue whales is not to suggest that blue whales are routinely observed from Oxley Beach or that Oxley Beach is a designated Blue Whale Biologically Important Area.

Rather, it highlights that the Australian Government has recognised the need to carefully assess underwater anthropogenic noise and potential behavioural disturbance to whales where development activities may interact with whale migration and habitat. [dcceew.gov.au], [nopsema.gov.au]

The Government's guidance further notes that whale behaviours of conservation importance may occur outside mapped biologically important areas and that precautionary approaches should be adopted where uncertainty exists. [dcceew.gov.au]

This raises a reasonable question:

If Port Macquarie is a recognised whale migration location and whales are regularly observed offshore throughout migration season, has sufficient assessment been undertaken to understand the potential effects of excavation, piling and ongoing pump noise on the marine acoustic environment adjacent to Oxley Beach? [nopsema.gov.au], [dcceew.gov.au], [portmacqua...rea.com.au]

Twelve to 24 months is a long time in a whale's journey

A construction period of 12–24 months is significant.

It isn't one noisy week.

It isn't a short-term disruption.

It could encompass repeated periods of the annual whale migration, including whales travelling north to breeding grounds and returning south towards Antarctic feeding areas.

That makes construction timing particularly important.

Could the noisiest construction activities be scheduled outside the most sensitive periods?

Could piling be restricted during peak migration?

Could acoustic curtains, bubble curtains or other noise-reduction technologies be considered where appropriate?

Could real-time underwater acoustic monitoring be used?

Could there be clear stop-work procedures if whales enter a defined exclusion or monitoring zone?

These are the types of mitigation measures that should be considered before construction begins.

We need a baseline before construction

Perhaps one of the most important things Port Macquarie can do is establish a pre-construction environmental baseline.

Before construction, we should understand:

How many whales use the area?

How close to shore do they travel?

How long do they remain in the area?

What is the existing underwater noise environment?

What marine species are regularly present?

Then, during construction, the same measurements can be taken again.

And after construction, they can be repeated.

That would allow the community to move beyond speculation and ask a much more useful question:

Has anything actually changed?

If whale activity remains unchanged, that is valuable information.

If whale behaviour changes, that is equally important information.

Either way, the community deserves transparent environmental monitoring.

Development and environmental protection can coexist

This doesn't have to be a debate between people who support development and people who care about the environment.

It is possible to support better recreational facilities while demanding strong environmental safeguards.

The proposed Oxley Beach ocean pool could ultimately become a valuable community facility.

But its success shouldn't be measured solely by how many people swim in it.

We should also consider the marine environment surrounding it.

A genuinely successful project would allow Port Macquarie to enjoy a new recreational facility while continuing to protect the whales, dolphins and other marine life that make this coastline unique.

Let's protect what makes Port Macquarie special

Every whale season, we look out towards the horizon.

Then someone spots the blow.

A fin appears.

A tail rises.

A humpback breaches.

For a few seconds, everyone stops and watches.

Those moments are part of what makes living in Port Macquarie special.

We should celebrate them.

But we should also recognise that the natural environment isn't guaranteed to remain unchanged while we continue developing the coastline.

The proposed Oxley Beach ocean pool presents an opportunity to demonstrate that major coastal infrastructure can be designed and constructed responsibly.

That means asking difficult questions now.

It means understanding underwater noise.

It means assessing the potential impacts of heavy machinery, generators, piling and sheet piles.

It means considering the cumulative effect of construction over 12–24 months.

And it means understanding what noise the pool's filtration systems and heavy-duty water pumps could introduce once the facility is operating.

Most importantly, it means establishing clear environmental benchmarks before construction begins.

Because we shouldn't have to choose between an Olympic-sized pool and Port Macquarie's whales.

We should be able to have both.

The whales have been coming past our coastline for generations.

Let's make sure that when future generations stand on Oxley Beach and look out towards the horizon, they can still hear someone say:

"Look — there's a whale." 

Why this matters

The question is not whether whales will disappear from Port Macquarie.

The question is whether the environmental assessment has adequately examined the potential effects of construction and operational noise on whales that migrate along this coastline.

The Australian Government's guidance recognises whale migration, anthropogenic noise and behavioural disturbance as matters requiring consideration when projects may interact with whales or whale habitat. [dcceew.gov.au], [nopsema.gov.au]

Given Port Macquarie's reputation as a whale migration destination, the close proximity of the proposed development to the ocean, and the possibility of excavation, piling and long-term pump operation, these appear to be reasonable questions for both the community and decision-makers to consider. [nopsema.gov.au], [dcceew.gov.au], [portmacqua...rea.com.au]

Marine Mammal Rescue and Whale Welfare Port Macquarie

Port Macquarie's coastline is not only an important migration corridor for humpback whales, but also a location where marine mammal rescue organisations regularly respond to strandings, injuries and whale welfare incidents.

The Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (ORRCA) has attended multiple marine mammal incidents in the Port Macquarie area, highlighting the diverse range of whale and dolphin species that use local waters and the challenges marine mammals can face.

In July 2022, ORRCA volunteers, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service personnel and local lifeguards responded to a live stranding of a neonatal humpback whale at Oxley Beach. The calf, estimated to be approximately one week old, was found stranded among rocks and subsequently relocated to a nearby sandy beach for assessment. ORRCA reported that the whale appeared to have been separated from its mother and, following veterinary assessment, a decision was made to euthanise the calf because it would not have survived on its own. According to ORRCA, the young whale had multiple cookie-cutter shark bites and was believed to have been without its mother for at least 24 hours before it was discovered.

More recently, ORRCA members attended a deceased suspected melon-headed whale calf at Miners Beach, Port Macquarie. Melon-headed whales are highly social oceanic cetaceans that typically inhabit deeper subtropical waters and are rarely observed close to shore. ORRCA reported that measurements and biological data were collected while NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service undertook further investigation to assist with species identification and determination of the cause of death.

These incidents serve as a reminder that the coastal waters surrounding Port Macquarie support a wide range of marine mammals, including migratory humpback whales and less commonly encountered cetacean species. They also highlight the important role played by volunteer rescue organisations, researchers and government agencies in monitoring marine mammal health and responding to wildlife emergencies.

While individual strandings and whale deaths can occur for many reasons and should not automatically be linked to any particular activity, they reinforce the importance of understanding and carefully assessing any proposal that may introduce additional pressures into coastal marine environments. Maintaining healthy marine ecosystems and minimising unnecessary disturbance are important considerations wherever whales, dolphins and other marine mammals are known to occur.

Why This Matters for Oxley Beach

Oxley Beach forms part of a coastline that supports whale migration, marine wildlife tourism, community wildlife observation and marine conservation activities. The presence of whale rescue responses within the local area demonstrates that these waters are actively used by marine mammals and that their welfare remains an ongoing concern for the broader community.

For this reason, Protect Oxley Beach considers that any assessment of the proposed ocean pool should carefully examine potential impacts on marine mammals, including cumulative effects associated with construction activity, underwater noise and changes to the nearshore marine environment, using the best available scientific evidence and a precautionary approach where uncertainties remain.

Frequently asked Questions: Port Macquarie Whales and the Oxley Beach Ocean Pool

When is whale migration season in Port Macquarie?

• Humpback whales can generally be seen migrating along the NSW coast from around May through November, with the exact timing and number of sightings varying each year.

Is Port Macquarie a good place to see migrating whales?

• Yes. Port Macquarie's coastal headlands, beaches and viewing locations provide opportunities to see migrating humpback whales from land, making whale watching an important part of the area's natural and tourism appeal.

Could the Oxley Beach ocean pool affect whale migration?

• There is currently no basis to state that the proposed ocean pool will cause whales to change their migration route. However, construction noise, piling and ongoing mechanical noise are legitimate environmental issues that should be assessed for their potential effects on marine mammals.

Why is piling a concern for whales?

• Driven piling can create intense, impulsive underwater sounds. Depending on the sound levels, duration and distance, these noises can potentially disturb marine mammals and alter their behaviour.

How long could construction of the Oxley Beach ocean pool take?

• The development could involve a construction period of approximately 12–24 months, depending on the final design, approvals, construction methodology and project schedule.

Why is whale watching important to Port Macquarie?

• Migrating whales are an important part of Port Macquarie's natural identity and tourism experience. Maintaining opportunities to observe whales close to the coast helps preserve the area's reputation as a whale-watching destination.

Is PMHC required to consult with ORRCA Australia

• Councils in NSW should consult with relevant stakeholders, including environmental organizations such as ORRCA Australia, when planning beach development to ensure ecologically sustainable management and compliance with the Coastal Management Act 2016.

Will whale watchers sacrifice personal experience to minimise harm to whales? 

• Macquarie University Sydney NSW Study