A new whale watching cruise in Shellharbour is sharing First Nations cultural knowledge during the annual humpback whale migration.
The cruise has been launched by Shellharbour Wild in partnership with Gumaraa Aboriginal Experience and University of Wollongong whale researcher Dr Jodi Edwards.
The experience takes passengers along the NSW coast, where thousands of humpback whales travel each year from Antarctica to warmer northern waters to breed and give birth.
While people on board will have the chance to see whales up close, the cruise is also focused on the deep connection between First Nations people, whales and the sea.
For coastal Indigenous communities, whales have long held an important place in stories and cultural knowledge.
Gumaraa director, Lisa Bazzano told Region Illawarra Dr Edwards was the right person to help share that knowledge with passengers.
Dr Edwards is an Indigenous whale researcher at the University of Wollongong and has studied First Nations knowledge of whales and whale song.
"Jodi has delved right into it, so she's the best person to lead this," she said.
"Once you know the cultural side of it, it makes sense."
Shellharbour Wild's Sonia Tooley said the idea for the cruise came through her work with Gumaraa and her connection with Edwards.
"We've got this wonderful lady that lives here, who's a doctor in whale research, and she's Indigenous, and she has studied the Indigenous lines of whale research and the whale song," Ms Tooley said, Region Illawarra reports.
"I don't know how many doctors in whale research are Indigenous and have done all the research in First Nations people and the whale story."
Ms Tooley said the cruise was about more than taking visitors out on the water to watch whales.
She said it was also about celebrating Indigenous culture and giving people the chance to learn about stories that have been passed down for generations.
"Today is a wonderful day to celebrate Indigenous culture," Ms Tooley said.
"It's a really exciting collaboration - it's something I've been working on, and absolutely love, and have a real passion for.
"It's exciting to showcase that story to people, whether they come from the Illawarra or they come from Germany or Italy or Spain."
Ms Tooley said whale numbers had grown strongly, with researchers estimating between 40,000 and 50,000 whales now migrating each year.
She said Shellharbour was an excellent location for whale watching because whales often come close to shore.
"The whales come in really close to Shellharbour and people can see them," she said.
"I think being out on a boat and celebrating the whale migration, which is one of the greatest migrations on Earth, is great."
The Indigenous whale watching cruises will not run every week, but will be promoted when they are available.
The next cruise is expected to be held in mid-June and will include a smoking ceremony.
"We're excited to celebrate the story of the whales from our ancestors through this Aboriginal story and experience with Gumaraa and Dr Jodi Edwards," Ms Tooley said.
