Noosa 360

Following our August update, which confirmed a trial of modified acoustic whale alarms would be conducted at Noosa during the 2026 southern whale migration period, the Queensland Government has now confirmed via a Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Media Statement that the trial is underway, with details on how it will operate as follows; 

• a five-week field trial is being conducted at Noosa Main Beach, running until 11 October 2026, testing the effectiveness of novel acoustic alarms fitted to two Queensland Shark Control Program nets; 

• the trial is being delivered in partnership with the University of Queensland, and includes independent land-based observations from the Noosa headland to record whale behaviour in the area; 

• the Shark Control Program also funds a specialist Marine Animal Release Team of 25 officers based on the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Redlands and Mackay, who respond in the event whales become entangled in shark control gear; and 

• an estimated 50,000 whales are expected to migrate through Queensland waters this year, with an average of 0.02 per cent historically interacting with Program equipment. 

We welcome the commencement of this trial following sustained advocacy for practical measures to reduce whale entanglements while maintaining swimmer safety. 

Further detail released by the Government confirms the acoustic alarm technology has been developed by Future Oceans, with Sea World Foundation also supporting the research.  

While commencement of the trial is welcome, questions remain. The trial is limited to a five-week period and two nets, and we will be seeking clarity on how and when the results will be publicly released, whether the trial will be expanded or repeated in future migration seasons if successful, and how the findings will feed into the broader Shark Mitigation Alternatives Framework, which remains in development. In addition, in response to concerns on whether there are any potential negative impacts of the modified acoustic technology on marine species, how this will be assessed. 

We also continue to await a defined, measurable standard for when shark net alternatives more broadly, not just whale deterrents, will be considered “proven effective”. 

We will provide a further update once the whale alarm trial results and the Shark Mitigation Alternatives Framework are publicly available. 

 Further information 

For previous Shark Control Program updates, visit: sandybolton.com/?s=shark 

To contact the Minister for Primary Industries regarding the Shark Control Program, email: primaryindustries@ministerial.qld.gov.au 

Please copy our office via noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au and forward any response you receive