Southern Cross University Whale Research Centre (SCUWRC) is a cetacean research centre that was established in 2001 at Southern Cross University in Lismore, New South Wales, on the east coast of Australia.

The principal objective of the SCUWRC is to carry out research on cetacean populations in the Southern Hemisphere for the purpose of contributing to their conservation. Current national and international projects being coordinated by researchers from the SCUWRC include studies of humpback whales in Hervey Bay, Byron Bay / Ballina and Rarotonga (Cook Islands), as well as inshore dolphin studies in locations ranging from the Clarence River in northern NSW to the Capricorn Coast of Queensland. From such studies, the Centre endeavours to enhance our understanding of these remarkable creatures, to develop effective management strategies for their long-term protection, and to promote education about whales, dolphins and other cetaceans.

To achieve this objective, a collaborative approach is utilised for research involving the expertise of leading researchers from all over Australia, trained in fields such as marine mammal science, genetics, surveying, and acoustics. These capabilities are greatly enhanced by close collaborative links with leading international marine mammal researchers and organisations such as the South Pacific Whale Research Consortium* (SPWRC) and The Oceania Project*.

One of the key research projects currently undertaken by the SCUWRC is the Humpback Whale Telomere Ageing Research Project, the aim of which is to test the feasibility of using molecular techniques to age whales. This project highlights our commitment to using and developing non-lethal methods to study whales and dolphins.

The SCUWRC has also been involved in the development of cutting-edge technology for cetacean research, such as the development of a computerised humpback whale fluke matching program Fluke Matcher, and assisting with the ongoing development of the whale tracking software Cyclopes, both in collaboration with Dr Eric Kniest (University of Newcastle).

The Cape Byron Whale Research Project is another one of the research projects currently undertaken by the SCUWRC. This project involves research on humpback whales and is conducted at Cape Byron, in northern NSW, Australia. This innovative program is an excellent example of how we are bringing together both leading scientific experts and cutting-edge technology, to showcase humpback whale research work to the thousands of national and international visitors who venture to the Cape Byron Lighthouse.

In addition to this outstanding project, we have initiated ongoing cetacean research projects in the South Pacific Islands.

Updated: 17 August 2010