Migaloo cruising the coast

4th July 2009

MIGALOO, the celebrity white whale, is expected to be cruising off the coast of Queensland over the weekend.

Migaloo the albino whale.

Greer Atkinson

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MIGALOO, the celebrity white whale, is expected to be cruising off the Sunshine Coast over the weekend.

Southern Cross University whale researcher Wally Franklin says based on earlier sightings this week off the Gold Coast, he believed the albino humpback would be in waters off the Sunshine Coast on Saturday or Sunday.

This is despite predictions from local authorities that the Sunshine Coast missed out on Migaloo's annual migration north after reports the 14-metre whale has been spotted as far as the Fraser Coast.

Mr Franklin says many whale watchers were going spotting off Mooloolaba, Maroochydore and Noosa Heads on the Sunshine Coast.

"The number of whale watchers has increased dramatically over the years, largely because of Migaloo," Mr Franklin said.

"He is an amazing sight and is easy to track.

"Because of this he has become the ambassador of his kind and reminds people of the importance of the whale's migration north to mate."

Migaloo, whose Aboriginal name means white man, was spotted off Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast on Wednesday afternoon.