Byron Bay

Long before Byron Bay became recognised as a tourist destination, Byron Bay was home to one of four East coast whaling stations. Developing in the late 1820's, commercial whaling was a big industry. Whales were used to obtain oil for lamp fuel, lubricants and as bases for candles and soaps. In the 19th century, corsets, whips and even umbrellas were also made of baleen (the fibrous teeth whales use to strain krill from the water).

Initially carried out in small boats, whaling was Australia's first primary industry. Once killed, the whales were towed back to shore for processing.

Hunting of Humpack back whales was primarily confined to Antarctic and West Australian waters before the Second World War. More than 12,000 of these magnificent mammals were slaughtered between 1936 and 1938 alone. Following this, a 10 year moratorium was placed on Humpback whaling in an effort to increase stock. With the lifting of the moratorium there was only 800 Humpbacks left in the West Australian waters by 1963.

Luckily, on the East Coast of Australia, whaling was not carried out with the same amount of zeal, and very few (in relative terms) whales were actually taken before 1949. However, in the mid 1950's, whaling stations were opened in Byron Bay, Moreton Island, Norfolk Island and Eden. By 1962, nearly 12,500 humpbacks were killed between the four stations.

1146 whales were processed at the Byron Bay whaling station during the years 1954 - 1962. These 1146 whales produced 10,000 tons of oil.

Officially, the whaling season was between May and October, with caught whales varying in size between 10.6 meters and 15.9 meters long.

In a strange twist, the the whaling industry had destroyed itself by being too effiecient. Over exploitation has caused such a decline in numbers that commercial whaling was no longer viable. Most whaling countries signed a treatise on the banning of commercial whaling, and by 1978 Australian whaling had ceased.

From only 200 Humpback whales in 1962, it estimated that there are now between 1900 - 2000 migrating along the Australian East Coast each Year. Approxiamtely 5000 now breed in Australian waters.

More information on the Humpback whales of Byron Bay may be found at The Oceania Project.


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