Creative projects.
Citizen-science.
An abundant future.

Years ago while swimming at Hinsby Beach, I dove under the waves and thought I heard high-pitch squeaking. Part of me couldn’t believe my ears - was it dolphins I was hearing? I came to the surface and saw nothing, but again could faintly hear high-pitch chatter in the distance. It left me reeling with questions about just what lives in the river and what their lives are like.

At the same time, whales were returning to the river in ever greater numbers. After populations of resident Southern Right Whales and visiting Humpbacks and other species were almost entirely wiped out through industrial whaling, we were finally starting to see individuals and small families venture back into the river. A Southern Right Whale visited Kingston and was promptly surrounded by swimmers, a Humpback breached spectacularly beneath the Tasman Bridge, and a calf even swum right up past the wharf in Salamanca. It felt like something special was happening.

Despite the river being a constant visible companion for many of us over the course of our days, it feels like public understanding of the river’s past, present, and possible futures (and the role we play in it) is low. The projects run under the Whale River umbrella are experiments in changing that. We intend to foster collaborative conversations with the community about the river on our doorstep, and flesh out the stories, memories and hopes that can help underpin its future.

Through creative projects, citizen science, immersive experiences, and the invitation for everyone to learn and share together, Whale River seeks to imagine an abundant future for whales and everything else in the river.