- DISCOVERY Yacht Norseman
Australian East Coast Marine Sounds Hydrophone Deployment
- June 25, 2026
- Whitsundays, Australia
Project Overview
The Australian East Coast Marine Mammal Sounds project is a collaborative initiative under the Whales and Climate Research Program that is establishing a network of long-term underwater listening stations along Australia’s east coast. The project uses strategically placed hydrophones to record the underwater soundscape over several months, providing valuable information on humpback whale migration, marine mammal presence, and the broader acoustic environment. These long-term recordings help build a better understanding of when whales are present, how they use important migration corridors, and how changing ocean conditions may influence their behaviour.
Application
Once recovered, the hydrophone recordings will be analysed by the Whales and Climate Research Program to identify marine mammal vocalisations, monitor humpback whale migration, and better understand the acoustic environment of the Whitsundays region. Together with the other long-term deployments established along the Australian east coast, these recordings will contribute to one of the most comprehensive acoustic datasets collected for the region, supporting future conservation, management, and monitoring of migrating whale populations.
Expedition Summary
On June 25th, 2026, Haley Davis, SeaKeepers Data Scientist, joined DISCOVERY Yacht Norseman for a scientist-led expedition departing from the Whitsundays, Australia. The objective of the expedition was to deploy the final long-term hydrophone in the current Australian East Coast Marine Mammal Sounds deployment series.
The hydrophone was deployed on the eastern side of the Whitsunday Islands in a key location where migrating humpback whales travel between the Great Barrier Reef and the island group. This long-term deployment will remain in place throughout the peak whale migration season, continuously recording underwater sounds for several months before being retrieved at the end of October. Completing this final deployment marks an important milestone for the project, expanding the acoustic monitoring network across Australia’s east coast and providing continuous coverage during one of the busiest periods of whale activity.
Location
Whitsundays, Australia
Duration of Project
On going
Leadership
Research Team
- Kellie Leonard – Whales of the Whitsundays
Partner Sites
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