NORTH Stradbroke Island’s Quandamooka people want to take a bite out of the world’s $2 billion whale watching industry, with plans to run boat tours from Cleveland.
An Indigenous-run whale watch cruise could be conducted from as early as next year to capitalise on the 585,000 foreign tourist who take part in whale watching in Queensland.
Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation chief executive Cameron Costello said the venture would mean more jobs for the island’s aboriginal population and a boost in visitors.
However, an exclusion zone covering waters surrounding Point Lookout and the island’s east coast has stopped the business in its tracks, with a prohibition on whale watching activities there spanning the past two decades.
Point Lookout is a great vantage point for humpback whale watching – the species migrates past from Antarctic waters to the Great Barrier Reef every year.
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Mr Costello said he wanted the exclusion zone to be lifted or changed to allow QYAC to operate cruises.
“We envisage that Quandamooka people will be trained as guides and that our venture will be used to train Quandamooka researchers to assist scientific endeavours,” he said.
While a Moreton Bay Marine Park whale watching permit was granted to QYAC earlier this year, Mr Costello said discussions with the environment department about zone amendments had only just begun.
“I am pleased to advise that QYAC was recently contacted by a legislation officer from the Department of Environment, Heritage and Protection to begin discussions to address this issue,” he said.
“QYAC is hoping this can be resolved to enable operations to commence in time for the 2018 whale watching season.”
Mr Costello said the Quandamooka people’s push for a whale watching permit began before native title was determined about six years ago.
The business would be linked to an existing whale welcoming festival held on the island in July and a whale interpretive facility planned for Point Lookout’s headland.
“The design for this facility will likely commence in early 2018 and will continue to grow the reputation of Minjerribah as a significant tourism site for land-based whale watching,” Mr Costello said.
QYAC’s ambitions to conduct tours has been given the nod of approval from humpback whale expert Michael Noad.
The University of Queensland Associate Professor said the mammal’s population had become stronger in recent times, with about 30,000 humpbacks estimated to have migrated past North Stradbroke Island this year.
He said numbers were the strongest they had been in six decades, with the population recouped from intensive whaling undertaken in the 1960s.
“I think the exclusion zone needs to be relaxed for the Quandamooka people,” Mr Noad said.
“Whale watching wouldn’t impact on the whale count.”
An environment department spokesperson said the exclusion zone was included in this year’s marine park regulation and would be reviewed in a decade.
“However, if there are compelling reasons, provisions of the regulation can be amended,” the spokesperson said.
When asked whether the exclusion zone would be changed for QYAC to conduct tours, the spokesperson said options were being discussed with relevant stakeholders.
“Point Lookout is historically important for research on the recovery of the humpback whale population following the cessation of whaling along the east coast of Australia in 1962,” the spokesperson said.
“The exclusion area supports this research with minimal vessel interactions.”
The spokesperson said two other whale watching permits had been issued for Moreton Bay Marine Park.
The park extends from waters around South Stradbroke Island, up past Moreton Island and to Caloundra.
