With whales already making their way along the South Coast, ORRCA is encouraging the community to get involved with the annual whale watching project this Sunday, June 24. 

To be part of the census, all residents have to do is pick a vantage point and record the number of whales and other wildlife they see.

ORRCA is an all-volunteer organisation focused on whale, dolphin, seal and dugong rescue and research. Its aim is to help with the conservation and protection of marine life. 

ORRCA vice president Leesa Pratt said the census day was all about encouraging the community to learn more about whales. 

“The census day is a social research day where we would love communities right up and down the coast to come out and spend some time looking for whales,” she said. 

“With an estimated 30,000 humpbacks swimming north along our coastlines to their Queensland and Western Australian breeding grounds over the next few months, spotting them and recording their behaviour is our mission on June 24.” 

ORRCA members will be situated at Bombo Headland, Jervis Bay Headland and Booderee National Park on Sunday, and Ms Pratt said record whale numbers were expected this year. 

“This year we hope to see more migrating humpbacks than last year’s record count of 2065,” she said. 

READ MORE: Whale watching season well underway at Jervis Bay

To participate in the event, all community members have to do is observe and record the number of humpback and southern right whales they may see. 

“This information is then documented, recorded and fed back into ORRCA HQ,” Ms Pratt said.

“This data is then passed onto the National Parks and Wildlife Service.”

With more than 30,000 whales expected to journey along the NSW coastline this year, one of the best places to catch a glimpse is the Shoalhaven’s very own Jervis Bay. 

Whales head north throughout May, June and July and return southwards from around September to November.

Shoalhaven residents have some of the best on-land vantage points for whale watching, like Bull Hole Lookout, Hammerhead Point picnic area, Greenfield Beach picnic area and Seven Mile Beach National Park. 

To get involved with the census day, whale watchers simply have to pick a favourite headland and call the ORRCA hotline or email orrca@orrca.org.au to register their location.

They will then receive a Census Day kit which contains a marine mammal sighting log sheet to record observations.

At the end of the day all findings must be emailed to orrca@orrca.org.au. 

Whale watchers have been urged to take care of their surroundings while watching.

Share your whale watching photos with us! Email madeline.crittenden@fairfaxmedia.com.au.