The first whales of the season were seen near Beachport late on Sunday afternoon according to footage and social media reports.


At least three whales were sighted from the shore and they may have included a mother and calf.


In all likelihood, they were Southern Right Whales as this species migrates each winter from the sub-Antarctic waters to the warmer waters off the southern Australian coast.


Overall, 2025 has been a disappointing time for whale watchers in local waters.


There were enough whales in Rivoli Bay in colonial times that a whaling station was established in the 1830s at the site of the modern-day Beachport.


The Beachport National Trust Museum has some relics from the whaling era.