Whale Rescued from River Stranding

A young humpback whale was rescued after becoming stranded on a sandbar in the Coolongolook River near Forster. The sub-adult whale entered the river late Sunday and beached Monday afternoon. Rescue efforts involving three specialized teams from NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, ORRCA, Sea World Foundation, and Forster Dive Centre successfully refloated the animal on Tuesday.

The whale is now swimming freely in deeper water, however, it has not yet returned to the open ocean. This incident marks the first stranding of the annual humpback migration season, which typically begins in May, although northbound sightings past Sydney started in March.