community - 2026-06-23

Northern Beaches locals invited to join annual whale count at Long Reef

Source: www.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au

Northern Beaches residents are being invited to help count humpback whales from Long Reef this Sunday as part of the annual Whale Census, with council using the event to highlight practical ways locals can support the marine environment. The public count will run from 10am to 2pm on 28 June at the top of Long Reef headland, one of the area's best-known whale watching spots.

Northern Beaches residents are being invited to help count humpback whales from Long Reef this Sunday as part of the annual Whale Census, with council using the event to highlight practical ways locals can support the marine environment. The public count will run from 10am to 2pm on 28 June at the top of Long Reef headland, one of the area's best-known whale watching spots. Northern Beaches Council is partnering with ORRCA, the Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia, to support the official count of humpback whales as they move north along the East Coast. Thousands of humpbacks make the migration each year, and the headlands of the Northern Beaches are a regular vantage point for people hoping to spot them offshore. Members of the public are welcome to join the official census site at Long Reef during the four-hour count. Council said binoculars will be available for use on site, while an environmental officer will share information and answer questions about humpback whales and other marine species. Mayor Sue Heins said the whale migration is one of the standout natural events on the local coastline and a reminder of the importance of protecting it....