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Humpback whales filmed 'mugging' off Gold Coast

A boatload of tourists on the Gold Coast has been treated to a spectacular morning of whale watching off Surfers Paradise.

The crew claim it was the best show they've ever seen.

A pod of Humpback whales surrounded the Gold Coast Adventures vessel and they played for more than an hour played.

They rolled over, slapped their tails, lifted giant pectoral fins clear of the water - every effort by the 40 tonne mammals brought another cheer from their excited guests.

The event is termed 'mugging', the whales were so close to the boat the skipper couldn't drive away.

The crew has been doing this trip - in these waters for five years but today's adventure was special.

"(I’ve) straight up never seen anything like that. I'm covered in whale snot man, they were twirling and pectoral flipping, tail flopping, spy hopping, Gangnam styling right beside the boat man," crew member Khan Ropati said.

Conditions for whale watching this week have been exceptional. The wind is light, there's almost no swell and it's predicted to stay like this over the weekend.

The Humpback whale population, which migrates past the Gold Coast, is estimated to now number 16,000. Encounters like this are likely to happen more often.